BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 97 



bird would be the aggressor. While it is admitted that these reports 

 are largely due to the imaginative reporter, it is believed that such 

 occurrences do occasionally take place. Veritable instances are re- 

 lated of their carrying off infants. According to Wilson, u an attempt 

 of this kind was made upon a child lying by its mother, as she was 

 weeding a garden, at Egg Harbor, New Jersey, but the garment seized 

 upon by the Eagle giving way at the instant of the attempt, the 

 child's life was spared." Nuttall speaks of an instance said to have 

 happened at Petersburg, Ga., near the Savannah river, " where an 

 infant, sleeping in the shade near the house, was seized and carried 

 off to the eyry, near the edge of a swamp five miles distant, and when 

 found, almost immediately, the child was dead." 



SUBFAMILY FALCONING. FALCONS. 



GENUS FALiCO. LINNAEUS. 

 356. Palco peregrinus anatum (BONAP.). 



Duck Hawk; Great-footed Hawk. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Aduti. Frontal band white ; entire upper parts bluish cinereous, with transverse 

 bands of brownish-black, lighter on the rump ; under parts (throat and foreneck 

 frequently unspotted) yellowish-white, with cordate and circular spots of black on 

 the breast and abdomen, and transverse bands of black on the sides, under tail 

 coverts arid tibia? ; quills and tail brownish-black, the latter with transverse bars of 

 pale cinereous ; cheeks with a patch of black ; bill light-blue ; cere and base of bill 

 yellow ; tarsi and toes yellow ; iris hazel ; sexes alike. 



Younger. Entire upper parts brownish-black ; frontal spot obscure; large space 

 on the cheeks black ; under parts dull yellowish-white, darker than in adult, and 

 with longitudinal stripes of brownish-black ; tarsi and toes bluish-lead color. 



Female : total length, 18 to 20 inches ; extent, about45 ; wing, 14 to 15 ; tail, 7 inches* 



Hab. North America at large. 



In Pennsylvania I have found the Duck Hawk only as a rare visi- 

 tant during the winter, when solitary individuals are occasionally 

 observed. This bird like others of the northern Hawks is bold and 

 pedacious. It is much oftener found along the sea coast and large 

 rivers than in inland districts. Dr. Coues states that this species 

 breeds as far south as Virginia, usually in the mountainous districts. 

 Mr. Gentry says : u In eastern Pennsylvania it is a very rare species, 

 and breeds only in occasional instances. Perhaps a more careful and 

 thorough exploration of our numerous river banks, and the summits 

 of our numerous mountain ridges would reveal the fact that it breeds 

 in larger numbers than is at present allowed." 



The following information relative to the breeding of the Duck 

 Hawk in Pennsylvania is obtained from Thomas M. Brewer's North 

 7 BIEDS. 



