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THE RED-TAILED HAWK. 



Falco bobealis, Gmel. 



PLATE LI. Male and Female. 



The Red-tailed Hawk is a constant resident in the United States, in 

 every part of which it is found. It performs partial migrations, during 

 severe winters, from the Northern Districts towards the Southern. In the 

 latter, however, it is at all times more abundant, and I shall endeavour 

 to present you with a full accovmt of its habits, as observed there. 



Its flight is firm, protracted, and at times performed at a great height. 

 It sails across the whole of a large plantation, on a level with the tops of 

 the forest-trees which surround it, without a single flap of its wings, and 

 is then seen moving its head sidewise to inspect the objects below. This 

 flight is generally accompanied by a prolonged mournful cry, which may 

 be heard at a considerable distance, and consists of a single sound resem- 

 bling the monosyllable Kae, uttered in such a manner as to continue for 

 three or four minutes, >vithout any apparent inflection or difference of in- 

 tensity. It would seem as if uttered for the purpose of giving notice to 

 the living objects below that he is passing, and of thus inducing them to 

 bestir themselves and retreat to a hiding-place, before they attain which 

 he may have an opportunity of pouncing upon some of them. When he 

 spies an animal, while he is thus sailing over a field, I have observed him 

 give a slight check to his flight, as if to mark a certain spot with ac- 

 curacy, and immediately afterwards ahght on the nearest tree. He would 

 then instantly face about, look intensely on the object that had attracted 

 his attention, soon after descend towards it with wings almost close to his 

 body, and dart upon it with such accuracy and rapidity as seldom to fail 

 in securing it. 



When passing over a meadow, a cotton-field, or one planted with su- 

 gar-canes, he performs his flight close over the grass or plants, uttering 

 no cry, but marking the prey in the manner above described, and on 

 perceiving it, ascending in a beautiful curved hne to the top of the near- 

 est tree, after which he watches and dives as in the former case. Should 

 he not observe any object worthy of his attention, while passmg over a 

 meadow or a field, he alights, shakes his feathers, particularly those of 



