PETREL. 



361 



head and upper part of the neck with her talons, which instantly 

 brought him to the ground. Now the unequal contest was soon deter- 

 mined ; for in vain did the superior weight and strength of the heron 

 drag and flounder with his enemy across the floor ; in vain did he flap 

 his unwieldy pinions to shake off the tyrant of the air ; nor could even 

 his gigantic legs force her from the bloody grasp ; her work was short, 

 and certain ; no efforts could compel her now to quit her deadly gripe ; 

 the powerful, and only dreaded arms of her antagonist were secured, 

 and thus disarmed, he became a sure and easy prey. Scarcely was the 

 gigantic bird prostrate on the ground, than death ensued ; for in this 

 noble race, destined for blood and slaughter, torture makes no part of 

 its nature, but, like what we are told of the generous lion, exulting in 

 death, but disdaining cruelty ; in less than half a minute did the Falcon 

 tear out the gullet and windpipe of the heron, and regale on the head 

 and neck. 



Wilson informs us, that the American bird of this species retires, 

 during the breeding season, to the gloomy recesses and swamps of the 

 cedar forests, in the tall trees of which it constructs its nest, and rears 

 its young secure from molestation. In these wilds, almost impene- 

 trable to the foot of man, its screams are occasionally heard mingling 

 with the hoarse tones of the heron, and the hooting of the eagle owl.* 

 In this respect and several others, the American duck hawk seems to 

 differ from our Peregrine Falcon. The anecdotes related of the dexte- 

 rity and prowess of this noble bird, are innumerable; a writer, in a 

 popular periodical, describes one pursuing a razorbill, which, instead of 

 assaulting as usual, with the death pounce from the beak, he seized by the 

 head with both his claws, and made towards the land, his prisoner croak- 

 ing, screaming, and struggling lustily ; but being a heavy bird, he so far 

 overbalanced the aggressor, that both descended fast towards the sea, 

 when, just as they touched the water, the Falcon let go his hold and 

 ascended, the razorbill as instantaneously diving below. The nest is 

 generally placed upon the shelf of a rock, in which the bird lays four 

 or five eggs of a reddish brown colour, a little blotched and variegated. 



PERNIS (Cuvier.) — *A genus thus characterised. Bill of middle 

 length ; lore covered with serrated feathers ; shanks of middle length and 

 half feathered ; shins reticulated ; the third quill the longest in the wing.* 



PETREL (Thalassidroma pelagica, Vigors.) 



Procellaria pelagica, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 212. — Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 561 — Lath. Ind. 

 Orn. 2. p. 826. 19— Briss. 6. p. 140. 1. 1. 13. f. 1.— lb. 8vo. 2. p. 398 — Flem. 

 Br. Anim. p. 135. — Vigors, Zool. Journ. 2. p. 405. — Temm. Man. d'Orn. 2. p. 

 811.— Oiseau de tempete, Buff. Ois. 9. p. 327. t. 23.— Stormfinch, Will. p. 306. 

 — Ib. (Angl.) p. 395. — Stormy Petrel, Br. Zool. 2. No. 259. t. 9\.—lb. fol. 

 146. t. L. 5.— Arct. Zool. 2. No. 464.— Edw. t. 90.— Albin, 3. t. 92. — Borlas. 



