AVERY BIRD COLLECTION 55 



ranks seemed to me to require but two or three seconds. 

 Indeed, so swift was his flight that the pigeons appeared, 

 in comparison, scarcely to move. He missed his bird, 

 however, and now it was his mate's turn. Pigeons and 

 falcons vanished from my view behind some trees; but 

 they came into sight again in a few seconds, one of the 

 falcons about a quarter of a mile off descending to the 

 ground a few feet behind a pigeon, which was captured 

 without doubt, as escape seemed impossible. What grand 

 sport it would be to have well-trained falcons to pursue 

 our pinnated grouse! Why does not some sportsman 

 take the initiative, who can afford it? Judging from 

 the performances of the wild birds in capturing their 

 prey, shooting game to pointers or setters is tame sport 

 compared with capturing it with falcons." (1890e). 



The following was published in 1893 in answer to a 

 question in the "Ornithologist and Oologist" : 



" 'What is authentically known of the rapidity of flight 

 by different species of birds, and which is considered the 

 swiftest?' 



"To Mr. Smith's question, I believe it may be answered 

 that the falcons are the swiftest, and as far as my exper- 

 ience goes it seems to me that the duck hawk is swifter 

 than any other species. 



"It easily overtakes any bird within the range of its 

 vision, and does so with incredible velocity. 



"A Bob White, once fired at by me, was overtaken by a 

 duck hawk in the distance of two hundred yards, though 

 the hawk apparently had to fly three times as far as its 

 quarry before it reached the latter. 



"On another occasion two duck hawks were seen pur- 

 suing a flock of tame pigeons. These were far above 

 their pursuers, and while in that position were safe. But 

 the falcons began to 'ring,' or ascend in circles 'till the 

 smaller bird, the male, got his 'pitch' first, then, with 

 astonishing swiftness, he overtook the pigeons, whose 

 rapidity of flight is very great. When the falcon began 

 his swoop, at about an angle of twenty degrees with the 

 flight of the pigeons, these, though going very fast, 

 seemed in comparison with the progress of their pursuer 



