ZOOLOGY. ' 301 



most numerous. They are everywhere, however, alike in habits, and the 

 unrelenting destroyers of everything that has life. 



Notwithstanding the nobility of character usually attributed to this famil}", 

 there is little that is noble or magnanimous about them, except whatever 

 of such may be attributed to their usually graceful forms, instinctive cunning, 

 and soaring flight ; on the contrary, they are in habits the veriest robbers 

 and most pitiful thieves of the feathered tribes, and the writer begs leave to 

 add, that there is more decent respectability and true nobility in one honest 

 gander, plebeian though he may be, than in all the noble falcons and imperial 

 eagles that ever lived. We are sorry to differ so materially from the 

 generality of naturalists, but this is our opinion, in ■which we only ac- 

 quiesce in the conclusion of the great Dr. Franklin, who thought the bald 

 eagle had scarcely a sufficiently good character to entitle him to the distinc- 

 tion of representing the American republic, and hinted that the turkey would 

 have done better. We will not, however, at present venture quite so far as to 

 insist upon the latter. 



Suh-fam. 1. FalconincB or true Falcons. Bill short, very strong and 

 sharp ; upper mandible with a well defined tooth, sometimes two, and also 

 more or less festooned ; under mandible truncated or emarginated at the 

 end. Feet strong, middle toe lono;. claws strong and acute. Wings 

 usually lengthened and formed for rapid flight. Size moderate or small ; 

 never large. 



In this sub-family we find the most complete development of characters 

 indicating and in accordance Avith habits of rapine and violence. The 

 boldest and most daring of birds of prey, their whole structure fits them for 

 carrying on a life of warfare ; their great muscular development, their long 

 wings and powerful claws, enable them to pursue their prey with incredible 

 swiftness and seize it with unerring and deadly grasp. The restricted 

 genus Falco contains the species most noted in these respects, among which 

 are some of the fastest flyers of all birds. Several of these were formerly 

 highly valued when trained for falconry, especially the Falco peregrinns, 

 Linn., or wandering falcon {j)l. 104, Jig. 5), which is an European species, 

 but also found sparingly along the sea-coasts of the United States. It is 

 known in New Jersey by the name of the duck hawk, and also as the 

 bullet hawk, and preys almost exclusively upon ducks, which it overtakes 

 and strikes upon the wing. The latter name (bullet hawk) appears to have 

 been given from a supposition Avhich is prevalent, that it actually strikes the 

 duck with its breast and knocks it down by mere momentum. An inspection 

 of its ferocious-looking beak and claAvs Avill, however, justify quite a different 

 conclusion. 



Another of the larger falcons is the Jer Falcon {F. islandicus\ Avhich is a 

 native of the northern regions of both the Old and Ncav Worlds, though most 

 abundant in the north of Europe, bimving the coldest climates, and, in fact, 

 rarely making its appearance in temperate latitudes. It is of a. beautiful 

 white color striped Avith black, Avhich Avith its courage seems to have made it 

 a great favorite Avith falconers, and its use appears to have been almost 

 monopolized by persons of noble blood. 



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