THE GREAT-FOOTED HAWK. 85 



The Great-Footed Hawk, or Peregrine Falcon, is now frequently to be 

 met with in the United States, but within my remembrance it was a very 

 scarce species in America. I can well recollect the time when, if I shot one 

 or two individuals of the species in the course of a whole winter, I thought 

 myself a fortunate mortal; whereas of late years I have shot two in one day, 

 and perhaps a dozen in the course of a winter. It is quite impossible for me 

 to account for this increase in their number, the more so that our plantations 

 have equally increased, and we have now three gunners for every one that 

 existed twenty years ago, and all of them ready to destroy a hawk of any 

 kind whenever an occasion presents itself. 



The flight of this bird is of astonishing rapidity. It is scarcely ever seen 

 sailing, unless after being disappointed in its attempt to secure the prey 

 which it has been pursuing, and even at such times it merely rises with a 

 broad spiral circuit, to attain a sufficient elevation to enable it to reconnoitre 

 a certain space below. It then emits a cry much resembling that of the 

 Sparrow Hawk, but greatly louder, like that of the European Kestrel, and 

 flies off swiftly in quest of plunder. The search is often performed with a 

 flight resembling that of the tame pigeon, until perceiving an object, it 

 redoubles its flappings, and pursues the fugitive with a rapidity scarcely to 

 be conceived. Its turnings, windings and cuttings through the air are now 

 surprising. It follows and nears the timorous quarry at every turn and back- 

 cutting which the latter attempts. Arrived within a few feet of the prey, 

 the Falcon is seen protruding his powerful legs and talons to their full stretch. 

 His wings are for a moment almost closed; the next instant he grapples the 

 prize, which, if too weighty to be carried off directly, he forces obliquely 

 toward the ground, sometimes a hundred yards from where it was seized, to 

 kill it, and devour it on the spot. Should this happen over a large extent 

 of water, the Falcon drops his prey, and sets off in quest of another. On the 

 contrary, should it not prove too heavy, the exulting bird carries it off to a 

 sequestered and secure place. He pursues the smaller Ducks, Water-hens, 

 and other swimming birds, and if they are not quick in diving, seizes them, 

 and rises with them from the water. I have seen this Hawk come at the 

 report of a gun, and carry off a Teal not thirty steps distant from the sports- 

 man who had killed it, with a daring assurance as surprising as unexpected. 

 This conduct has been observed by many individuals, and is a characteristic 

 trait of the species. The largest duck that I have seen this bird attack and 

 grapple with on the wing is the Mallard. 



The Great-footed Hawk does not, however, content himself with water- 

 fowl. He is sometimes seen following flocks of Pigeons and even Blackbirds. 

 For several days I watched one of them that had taken a particular fancy to 

 some tame pigeons, to secure which it went so far as to enter their house at 



