73 



WINTER FALCON. 

 FALCO HYEMALIS, 

 [Plate XXXV.— Fig. 1.] 



TuRTON, SysLp, 156.—Jrct, Zool. p. 209, J\o. 107.— Pe ale's Museum, Ao. 272 & 273. 



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 Novem- 

 ber, and leaves us late in March. 



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

 his profession with full effect, takes up his winter residence almost 

 entirely among our meadows and marshes. He sometimes stuffs 

 himself so enormously with these reptiles that the prominency of 

 his craw makes a large bunch, and he appears to fly with difficulty. 

 I have taken the broken fragments and whole carcases of ten frogs 

 of different dimensions from the crop of a single individual. Of 

 his genius and other exploits I am unable to say much. He ap- 

 pears to be a fearless and active bird, silent, and not very shy. One 

 which I kept for some time, and which was slightly wounded, dis- 

 dained all attempts made to reconcile him to confinement; and 

 would not suffer a person to approach without being highly irri- 

 tated; throwing himself backward, and striking with expanded ta- 

 lons, with great fury. Tho shorter winged than some of his tribe, 

 yet I have no doubt, but with proper care he might be trained to 

 strike nobler game, in a bold style, and with great effect. But the 

 education of Hawks in this country may well be postponed for a 

 time, until fewer improvements remain to be made in that of the 

 human subject. 



VOL. IV. T 



