50 BIRDS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND. 



be identical with the winter falcon (Falco hyemalis) of Wilson and 

 Audubon, and other writers, and is said by Mr Cassin to be one 

 of the most abundant of the rapacious birds of the Eastern and 

 Southern States on the Atlantic, and to be restricted to the 

 countries east of the Rocky Mountains. It appears to be much 

 more frequently met with in the adult state of plumage, which 

 varies in a great degree from that of the young bird. 



In treating of the habits of Falco hyemalis, Wilson thus sketches 

 its character, which contrasts singularly with the half-indolent life 

 of our British buzzards : 



" This elegant and spirited hawk visits us from the north early 

 in November, and leaves us late in March. He is a dexterous 

 frog-catcher, and, that he may pursue his profession with full 

 effect, takes up his winter residence almost entirely among our 

 meadows and marshes. He sometimes stuffs himself so enor- 

 mously with these reptiles, that the prominency of his craw makes 

 a large bunch, and he appears to fly with difficulty. I have taken 

 the broken fragments and whole carcasses of ten frogs of different 

 dimensions from the crop of a single individual. Of his genius 

 and other exploits I am unable to say much. He appears to be a 

 fearless and active bird, silent and not very shy. One which I 

 kept for some time, and which was slightly wounded, disdained 

 all attempts made to reconcile him to confinement, and would not 

 suffer a person to approach without being highly irritated, throw- 

 ing himself backward, and striking with expanded talons with 

 great fury. Though shorter-winged than some of his tribe, yet I 

 have no doubt but with proper care he might be trained to strike 

 nobler game in a bold style and with great effect." 



As in the case of some other raptorial birds, this species would 

 appear to breed before attaining maturity. Wilson mentions 

 having shot a female of F. lineatus, which is the young of his 

 winter falcon, in a swamp, near Philadelphia, and finding in the 

 ovary several eggs nearly as large as peas. 



As this buzzard may occur again in Scotland, a description of 

 the plumage will not be out of place here. The following is taken 

 from Mr Cassin's specific characters, detailed in Professor Baird's 

 work on the Birds of North America. 



Adult. Wing coverts from its flexure to the body fine bright 

 rufous; breast and other lower parts of the body paler orange 

 rufous, many feathers, with transverse bars and spots of white, 



