224 The Falcon-like Birds 



appearance on account of the bright red color of the naked skin of the face 

 and throat, the plumage being glossy blue-black with the abdomen white ; the 

 bill and cere are yellow, the legs and feet deep coral -red. This is one of the 

 noisiest birds of tropical America, its extremely loud call of ca-ca-ca-cd-o re- 

 sounding through the forests or cultivated country, where bands of greater or 

 less size rove about, much in the manner of the crows of other lands. On 

 account of its peculiar call note the bird is known to the native by the name 

 of Cacao. 



The Tropical Goshawks. The subfamily MicrasturincB comprises only the 

 genus Micrastur with about eight species which range quite widely over Central 

 America and northern South America. In addition to the characters already 

 mentioned (p. 212), the Micrasturince have the tomia without tooth or notch, 

 the sternum with a pair of large oval foramina in the posterior margin as in 

 .the Falconina, and four or more of the outer primaries with the inner webs 

 sinuated near the middle portions. They are further described as stout and 

 thick-set birds, with relatively long tails, short wings, and long legs, and a 

 partial facial ruff, the latter suggesting the Harriers (Circus), though in 

 general appearance they have more resemblance to certain of the smaller 

 Goshawks, whence their popular name. 



Of one of the Mexican species (M. semitorquatus] Colonel Grayson writes 

 entertainingly as follows: "Among the great variety of Hawks to be met with in 

 a single day's excursion in the vicinity of Mazatlan, none is so easily recognized 

 as this peculiar and interesting species. I have only found it in the heavy forests 

 or the immediate vicinity of a thickly wooded country, where its slender form and 

 lengthened tail attract our attention as it swiftly glides through the tangled woods. 

 It appears to be strictly arboreal in its habits, and possessed of wonderful activity, 

 either in springing from branch to branch without opening its wings, or rapidly 

 darting through the intricacies of the brush with apparently but little difficulty. 

 I have seldom seen one of these Hawks in an open country, and have never seen 

 one flying higher than the treetops where they are met with. Its wings are 

 rather short, and its flight is performed by rapidly repeated strokes, only for a 

 short distance at a time. It preys upon various species of wood birds, which 

 it captures by darting upon them on the ground or in the bushes; but the 

 Chachalaca (Orialis) is its favorite game; this is a gallinaceous bird or wild 

 chicken, about the size of, or lighter than, the common hen, and is entirely ar- 

 boreal, seldom running upon the ground, but is able by its peculiarly formed 

 feet to cling to, or spring rapidly through, the thickest branches with great 

 agility; but this Hawk follows it with equal facility, until an opportunity offers 

 to strike its prey, then both come to the ground together, the Hawk being the 

 lighter bird. I witnessed a scene of this kind that took place when I was en- 

 deavoring to get a shot at a Chachalaca, as it was jumping about the very thick 

 branches of an acacia, overgrown with lianes; it appeared to be in great distress, 

 uttering its harsh notes of alarm, and spreading its fan-shaped tail; suddenly 

 I saw one of these Hawks pounce upon it, when with harsh screams of terror the 

 Chachalaca dragged his captor to the ground, where they struggled for a few 



