236 WHITE-TAILED HAWK. 



Augustine, East Florida, at the residence of my near relation, Colonel 

 Achilles Murat, whose kind hospitality afforded to Mr. Titian Peale 

 every facility for the prosecution of his scientific researches. It was 

 observed by Mr. Peale, about the dawn of day, sitting on the dead 

 branch of an old live-oak, attentively watching the borders of an adja- 

 cent salt-marsh which abounded with Arvicola hispidus, and the different 

 species of Sparrow, which make their residence in the southern parts 

 of the Union. It was very shy, and on his approach, it flew in easy 

 circles at a moderate elevation, and such was its vigilance, that the 

 greater part of a day was spent in attempting to get within gunshot. 

 At length the cover of interposing bushes enabled him to effect his 

 purpose. It was a beautiful female, in perfect adult plumage. This 

 sex in the perfect state, is now for the first time represented, Temminck's 

 plate representing the young female only ; and even the figures of the 

 African analogue in Le Vaillant's work exhibit only the male in the 

 young and adult states. As usual in the tribe of predaceous birds, the 

 female is much larger than the male, and is therefore entitled to prece- 

 dence. 



Though this species is so rare, its near relative, the Black-winged 

 Hawk, appears on the contrary to be very numerous. In Africa, where 

 it was first discovered, and which is probably its native country, it is 

 rather a common species, and has a very extensive range. Le Vaillant 

 frequently observed it on the eastern coast- of that little-known conti- 

 nent, from Duyven-Hoek to Caffraria, where, however, it is less com- 

 mon. The same traveller found it to inhabit also in the interior, in the 

 Cambdebo, and on the shores of the Swart-kop, and Sunday rivers. It 

 is very common in Congo, and numerous also in Barbary, Egypt, and 

 far-distant Syria. The researches of Ruppel in the interior of North- 

 Eastern Africa, already so productive, and from which so much more 

 may be expected, have furnished specimens of this species, of which we 

 owe two to the kindness of Dr. Creitzschmaer, the learned and zealous 

 Director of the Museum of the free city of Frankfort, an institution 

 which has risen up with such wonderful rapidity. We are also informed, 

 that it is an inhabitant of India, which is rendered probable by a specimen 

 from Java in my collection. It is found in New Holland, being' numer- 

 ous in the autumn of New South "Wales, where it is migratory; and 

 preys chiefly on field-mice, but is seldom known to attack birds. It ia 

 there observed at times to hover in the air, as if stationary and motion- 

 less. Though occasionally met with on the African coast of the Medi- 

 terranean, not a solitary individual has^ ever been known to visit the 

 opposite shores of Italy, Spain, or Turkey, nor has it been met with in 

 any other part of Europe. 



When at rest, it is generally seen perched on high bushes, where the 

 pure white of the lower parts of its body renders it very conspicuous at 



