FALCONID.E — THE FALCON>«. ^>,S!j 



from raiiiimii. IMi. (Jos.-^i. states that it is tlic most coiiiinnii binl <>[ tliis 

 lamily n .laiuaica, wiieie it is a resident, and wliem it breeds. ]Mr. Leiii- 

 beye and Dr. (umdlaeli lintii include it in their lists of the birds of Cuba, 

 and the latter marks it as breedinj^' in that island. It has been observed in 

 Florida by Mi. Allen, and is not uncommon in all the \e\v Enj^land States, 

 where it is resident throughout the yoai'. In the Southern States it is most 

 abundant in the MJnter months. 



Specimens of this bird are recorded in the government reports as obtained 

 from the Yellowstone, I'rom the I'ecos h'ixer in Texas, and tVom Fort Fill- 

 inore in New Mexico. Mr. Dresser found it common throughout all of Texas 

 in all seasons of the year, breeding in all parts, but preferring the heavily 

 timbered country. He oljtaiiu,'d its eggs from Systerdale and from the Me- 

 dina liiver. 



This Hawk is a strong and jujwerful bird, with a. firm, steady, and pro- 

 tracted flight, frequently at a great elevation, and often moving quite a 

 distance without any apjiarent motion of tlie wings. It is said to gen- 

 erally descend upon its ])iey fiom some fixed position, as the branch of a 

 tree, and rarely to dart uimjh it when flying. It is a cautious l)ird, and 

 rarely ventures near a liouse for poultry except when tlie dwelling is isolated 

 and near its own haunts. It ])ieys chiefly uixm small (piadruped.s, small 

 birds, and reptiles. It usually darts upon a snak(> i'rom the branch of a, tree, 

 and seizing it near the head l)ears it writhing through the air. In the \al- 

 ley of the Saskatchewan, llichardson states that it watches for tlie marmots, 

 and when one imprudently ventures from its burrow, darts upon it, bears it 

 a short distance off, and tears it to pieces. 



As they fly, these birds utter a very peculiar and unpleasantly harsh cry 

 or scream, which they repeat very frequently, ("apt. I'.lakiston observed 

 this at the lied liiver settlement, and speaks of it as the Sipiealing Hawk. 



Thougli said to be thus generally cautious in e.\])t)sing itself t< danger in 

 approaching a poultry-yard, it is not always thus cautious. Mr. l)o\\nes 

 mentions an instance where one of these birds entered a garden in lialifax 

 to i^ouiice upon a tame ("row, and was captured alive liy the owner. 



Mr. Audubon states that after rearing their young tliey no longer remain 

 mated, but separate and evince rather jealous hostility to each other than 

 good-M'ill. When one has taken any prey in sigiit of another, the latter will 

 jnirsue and struggle with it for possession of the ])lunder. Tn these fights 

 they scream vociferou.sly while str..ggling for possession. 



In the Southern States these Hawks begin to build in February ; in the 

 Middle States, from March the 24th to April ir>th; and in New England 

 usually from A])ril to May. They construct a large nest, composed exter- 

 nally of coarse sticks and t\\ig.s, and lined with dried grasses, moss, and 

 leaves, built for the most part in the fork of a lofty tree. The eggs are 

 usually four in number. 



Mr. Augustus Fowler of Danvers, who is familiar with the habits of this 

 VOL. nr. 37 



