152 THE PEREGRINE FALCON. 



to the place a little before sunset, alighted on the dead 

 branches, and in a short time after flew into the hollow, 

 where it spent the night, and from whence I saw it issuing 

 at dawn. I have known them also to retire for the same 

 purpose to the crevices of high cliffs, on the banks of Green 

 River, in the same State. 



" Many persons believe that this Hawk, and some others, 

 never drink any other fluid than the blood of their victims; 

 but this is an error. I have seen them alight on sand-bars, 

 walk to the edge of them, immerse their bills nearly up to 

 the eyes in water, and drink in a continued manner, as 

 Pigeons are known to do." 



Undoubtedly no American ornithologist ever observed 

 the habits of the Duck Hawk as did Audubon; hence I have 

 preferred to quote verbatim from him, rather than to simu- 

 late knowledge by swallowing his statements and disgorging 

 the pellets. 



A fine female of this species, taken in Orleans County, of 

 this State, in autumn, is now before me. It is about twenty 

 inches long and three feet in extent. Bill blackish, blue at 

 tip, light-green at base; cere greenish-yellow; legs yellow; 

 the general color of the upper parts is a rich dark-brown, 

 the terminal part of each feather being much the darker, 

 the upper part, which is mostly covered, having a grayish 

 or ashy tinge, especially about the neck, and nearly all the 

 feathers being tipped with light brown or brownish-white; 

 the inner web of the wing feathers is crossed with round, 

 oval or long spots of buff or light reddish; the tail has eight 

 broken cross-bars of the same color, and is tipped with 

 buffy white; the throat and sides of the neck are buff, the 

 brown check-marking from the base of the bill being very 

 conspicuous; the under parts and femoral feathers being 

 buff or buffy white, heavily marked with brown. The male, 



