3 
I shot one specimen below the Navy Yard, also 
another on Jersey shore, both of which had been 
feeding on some farmer’s chickens. I have often 
noticed the maneuvres of this voracious hero of 
the falcon tribe, when in pursuit of ducks. On 
one occasion I was seated in a blind with my 
decoys in a pond in front of me, waiting for the 
approach of ducks, when at a distance I saw a 
small lot of ducks making for the pond. As they 
approached, I discovered that they were pursued 
by a hawk, and as soon as they arrived at the 
edge of the pond they immediately dove under 
the water. The hawk, somewhat disappointed, 
continued on his course toward my decoys, making 
a quick dart and catching one in his talons, but, 
finding it much heavier than he supposed, soon 
dropped it, and was in a hurry to get off, when 
the leaden messengers from my gun brought 
him down. This specimen is now in the Academy 
of Natural Sciences, of Philadelphia. I have 
frequently found this bird along the seashore in 
Spring, but never found it breeding in that 
neighborhood which has been so reported. I do 
not consider it rare, but difficult to obtain. They 
vary much in size—the male is much smaller 
than the female, and the plumage of the adult 
bird different from that of the young. I have 
met this bird as far east as Maine, and as far 
west as Minnesota, along the Mississippi river, 
and have not been able myself to find its nest, 
but have the eggs in my collection which were 
