

36 GREAT-FOOTED HAWK. 



in the plate is an excellent resemblance of the original, which 

 is handsomely set up in the Philadelphia Museum. 



I am indebted to Mr. Titian Peale, for the view of an imma- 

 ture specimen of the Duck Hawk, which he shot near the Rocky 

 Mountains; it was quite young, having just left the nest. Its 

 colours were principally a dirty white, and a reddish brown; 

 the patch below the eye not very conspicuous; but the charac- 

 ters of the bill and feet proved the species. 



According to Temminck, the Peregrine Falcon never inha- 

 bits marshy countries; but this, I presume, is a mistake, as our 

 bird is remarkable for its attachment to those places which are 

 affected by the water fowl; and it is well known that the latter 

 abound in all the marshes of the coast. 



In the month of November, 1823, I procured a fine living 

 specimen of the Duck Hawk, which I preserved, with the view 

 of noting its change of plumage. It was a female, and was al- 

 lowed the free range of a stable and garden. Notwithstanding 

 my care, it lived but nine months. On dissection, I found her 

 eggs very small, although she had every appearance of being 

 an adult. Around the base of the heart, and near the ovaries, 

 I discovered two or three round worms, of about nine inches 

 in length. 



During the time that she was in my possession she did not 

 moult; and the change in the colour of the plumage was but 

 slight. In winter, the upper parts were dark brown, but in the 

 summer there was an appearance of ash colour on the back and 

 wing-coverts. The fact, that the plumage of birds undergoes a 

 change of colour, independent of moulting, appears to be now 

 well ascertained; and it is with pleasure that I can add my 

 testimony, on this subject, to the sensible " Remarks on the 

 Changes of the Plumage of Birds," which were published in 

 the twelfth volume of the Transactions of the Linnean Society 

 of London. The paper in question was written by the Rev. 

 William Whitear. 



My Duck Hawk never became sufficiently domesticated to 

 permit me to handle her; and if an attempt were made to touch 



