GREAT-FOOTED HAWK. 31 



to be in danger from its attacks, it having been known to sa- 

 crifice them to its rapacity. 



To behold this hero, the terror of the wild fowl, and the 

 wonder of the sportsmen, was the chief object of our wishes. 

 Day after day did we traverse the salt marshes, and explore 

 the ponds and estuaries, where the web-footed tribes assemble 

 in immense multitudes, in the hope of obtaining the imperial 

 depredator; even all the shooters of the district were summon- 

 ed to our aid, with the assurance of a great reward if they pro- 

 cured him, but without success. At length, in the month of 

 December, 1812, to the unspeakable joy of Wilson, he receiv- 

 ed from Egg-harbour a fine specimen of the far-famed Duck 

 Hawk; which was discovered, contrary to his expectations, to 

 be of a species which he had never before beheld. 



If we were to repeat all the anecdotes which have been re- 

 lated to us of the achievements of the Duck Hawk, they would 

 swell our pages at the expense, probably, of our reputation. 

 Naturalists should be always on their guard when they find 

 themselves compelled to resort to the observations of others; 

 and record nothing as fact, which has not been submitted to 

 the temperate deliberations of reason. The neglect of this pro- 

 cedure has been a principal cause, why errors and absurdities 

 have so frequently deformed the pages of works of science, 

 which, like a plane mirror, ought to reflect only the true 

 images of nature. 



From the best sources of information, we learn that this spe- 

 cies is adventurous and powerful; that it darts upon its prey 

 with astonishing velocity; and that it strikes with its formida- 

 ble feet, permitting the duck to fall previously to securing it. 

 The circumstance of the hawk's never carrying the duck off on 

 striking it, has given rise to the belief of that service being 

 performed by means of the breast, which vulgar opinion has 

 armed with a projecting bone, adapted to the purpose. But 

 this cannot be the fact, as the breast bone of this bird does not 

 differ from that of others of the same tribe, which would not 

 admit of so violent a concussion. 



