

SPECIES 10. FrfLCO PENNSYLVANICUS* 

 BROAD-WINGED HAWK. 



[Plate LI V. Fig. 1.] 



PEALE'S Museum, JVo. 407. 



THIS new species, as well as the rest of the figures in the 

 same plate, is represented of the exact size of life. The Hawk 

 was shot on the sixth of May, in Bartram's woods, near the 

 Schuylkill, and was afterwards presented to Mr. Peale, in 

 whose collection it now remains. It was perched upon the 

 dead limb of a high tree, feeding on something, which was af- 

 terwards found to be the meadow mouse, figured in plate 50. 

 On my approach, it uttered a whining kind of whistle, and flew 

 off to another tree, where I followed and shot it. Its great 

 breadth of wing, or width of the secondaries, and also of its 

 head and body, when compared with its length, struck me as 

 peculiarities. It seemed a remarkably strong-built bird, hand- 

 somely marked, and was altogether unknown to me. Mr. Bar- 

 tram, who examined it very attentively, declared he had never 

 before seen such a Hawk. On the afternoon of the next day I 

 observed another, probably its mate or companion, and cer- 

 tainly one of the same species, sailing about over the same 

 woods. Its motions were in wide circles, with unmoving 

 wings, the exterior outline of which seemed a complete semi- 

 circle. I was extremely anxious to procure this also if possible; 



* The name Pennsylvanir.us, was given by Wilson to this bird, through inad- 

 vertence, he having already given that name to the Slate-coloured Hawk, 

 which is a distinct species from the present, as Wilson was well aware. Mr. 

 Ord, in the reprint of this work called it F. latisimus. But should the 

 Slate-coloured Hawk (F. Pennsylvanicvs,) and the Sharp-shinned Hawk (F. 

 velox,) prove to be the same species, then the name Pennsylvaniciis must be 

 retained for this species, that of velox being adopted for the former. 



