FALCO, 



diameter and eighteen inches broad. 

 Within the ring the grass was fresh ; 

 but on the surface of the ring, the grass 

 and the ground were much burned. To 

 the eastward of the tree, upon the ring 

 itself, were two holes, in which the 

 ground had the appearance of ashes. 

 Another tree, on the east side of the 

 grove, had the half of a faint ring to the 

 westward. And, lastly, a tree which stood 

 in the middle was surrounded by a faint 

 ring of twelve feet diameter, within which 

 the grass was unhurt ; and to the west- 

 ward, at the distance of about three feet 

 from the inner ring, was part of another 

 similar ring, of nearly the same appear- 

 ance ; the verdure being unhurt in the 

 interval between the rings. 



FALCO, the/a/con, in natural history, 

 a genus of birds of the order Accipi- 

 tres. Generic character : the bill hooked 

 and covered at the base with a cere ; 

 head and neck covered with closely-set 

 feathers ; tongue bifid at the end ; nos- 

 trils placed in the cere ; legs and feet 

 scaly ; middle toe connected with the 

 outermost by a strong membrane as far as 

 the first joint ; claws large, much hook- 

 ed, and very sharp ; the female stronger 

 and larger than the male. The falcon 

 tribe uniformly have close set feathers on 

 the head and neck, and in this respect 

 are particularly distinguished from the 

 vulture tribe, which are destitute of fea- 

 thers always on part of the head, and 

 sometimes on the whole head and neck. 

 The claws of the falcon class are more 

 hooked and sharp also than those of the 

 vulture. The falcon derives exquisite 

 delight from destroying its prey, and de- 

 vouring it while fresh. Though it will 

 sometimes devour a quantity of food cal- 

 culated to excite astonishment, at one re- 

 past, it will endure abstinence of several 

 day's duration, and has been even stated 

 by some to survive in situations, in which, 

 for weeks, it has not had the smallest sup- 

 ply. It lives on fish, as well as on flesh, 

 and also on snakes and reptiles. It is 

 confined to no particular climate, but 

 found in almost all. To the falcon class 

 belongs the eagle, which takes the pre- 

 cedence among birds, as the lion among 

 quadrupeds, from its strength, activity, 

 and courage; and some ingenious natura- 

 lists have been fond of running a parallel 

 between these animals to a considerable 

 extent and minuteness. It is observed 

 of the eagle, that he never undertakes a 

 chase singly, but when the female is en- 

 gaged in incubation, or in feeding her 

 young.; during this period he supplies, 



by his solitary exertions, the wants of his 

 partner and of himself; at every other 

 season their efforts are united in the pur- 

 suit of prey. They often soar beyond 

 the reach of the human eye ; but, though 

 unseen, thdir sounds are heard with con- 

 siderable distinctness, and have been com- 

 pared to the barking of a dog. 



There belong to the falcon genus, 

 according to Latham, 98 species, and 

 Gmelin enumerates no fewer than 136. 

 The following merit the principal atten- 

 tion. 



F. chryasaetus, or the golden eagle, 

 measures more than three feet in length, 

 and above eight in breadth, and weighs 

 about 16 pounds ; the male weighs little 

 more than two-thirds of the female. 

 This bird has been known to breed in 

 the highest mountains of Wales, and 

 among the Cheviot hills, but is very rare- 

 ly indeed recognized in Great Britain, 

 though it is said to be seen not unfre- 

 quently in the mountainous districts 

 of the sister island: it is very seldom 

 found beyond the 55th degree of north- 

 ern latitude. See Aves, Plate Yil. 

 fig. 1. 



The F. leucocephalus, or the bald ea- 

 gle, is found in Europe, but more fre- 

 quently in North-America, and lives on 

 fish as well as flesh. The singular man- 

 ner in which it procures the former is de- 

 serving of notice. It is described by the 

 ingenious and eloquent Wilson in a man- 

 ner, as his biographer Mr. Ord justly ob- 

 serves, that is perhaps unrivalled by the 

 whole tribe of naturalists, from the age of 

 Pliny to the present day. 



" In procurihg these, he displays, in a 

 very singular manner, the genius and en- 

 ergy of his character, which is fierce, con- 

 templative, daring and tyrannical ; attri- 

 butes not exerted but on particular occa- 

 sions; but when put forth, overpowering 

 all opposition. Elevated on the high dead 

 limb of some gigantic tree, that com- 

 mands a wide view of the neighbouring 

 shore and ocean, he seems calmly to con- 

 template the motions of the various fea- 

 thered tribes that pursue their busy avo- 

 cations below ; the snow white gulls 

 slowly winnowing the air; the busy 

 tringse coursing along the sands; trains 

 of ducks streaming over the surface ; si- 

 lent and watchful cranes intent and wad- 

 ing : clamorous crows, and all the wing- 

 ed multitudes that subsist by the bounty 

 of this vast liquid magazine of nature. 

 High over all these hovers one, whose 

 action instantly arrests all his attention. 

 By his wide curvature of wing, and sud- 



