76 WINTER FALCON. 



nesa is never lost in the living bird, though in stuffed skins, and pre- 

 served specimens, it is frequently entirely obliterated. I have no 

 hesitation, therefore, in giving it as my opinion, that the present and 

 preceding birds are of the same species, differing only in age, both 

 being males. Of the female I am unable at present to speak. 



Pennant, in his account of the Chocolate-colored Hawk, which is very 

 probably the same with the present and preceding species, observes, 

 that it preys much on ducks, sitting on a rock, and watching their rising, 

 when it instantly strikes them. 



While traversing our seacoast and salt marshes, between Cape May 

 and Egg Harbor, I was every wjiere told of a BucTc Hawk, noted for 

 striking down ducks on wing, though flying with their usual rapidity. 

 Many extravagances were mingled with these accounts, particularly, 

 that it always struck the Duck with its breast-bone, which was univer- 

 sally said to project several inches, and to be strong and sharp. From 

 the best verbal descriptions I could obtain of this Hawk, I have strong 

 suspicions that it is no other than the Black Hawk, as its wings were 

 said to be long and very pointed, the color very dark, the size nearly 

 alike, and several other traits given that seemed particularly to belong 

 to this species. As I have been promised specimens of this celebrated 

 Hawk next winter, a short time will enable me to determine the matter 

 more satisfactorily. Few gunners in that quarter are unacquainted 

 with the Buck Hawk, as it often robs them of their wounded birds, 

 before they are able to reach them. 



Species XVI. FALCO HYEMALIS. 



WINTER FALCON. 



[Plate XXXV. Fig. 1.] 

 TuRTON, Syst. p. Ib&.—Arct. Zool. p. 209, No. 107.* 



This elegant and spirited Hawk is represented in the plate of one- 

 half its natural size; the other two figures are reduced in the same 

 proportion. He visits us from the north early in November, and leaves 

 us late in March. 



This is a dexterous Frog-catcher ; who, that he may pursue his pro- 

 fession with full effect, takes up his winter residence almost entirely 

 among our meadows and marshes. He sometimes stuffs himself so 



* We add the following synonymes : Falco hyemalia. Ghel. Syst. i., p. 274.— 

 Lath. Ind. Orn. p. .35. 



