BROAD-WINGED HAWK. 
67 
given, and wliich is a good likeness of the original, the following 
pai'ticnlars of its size and plumage. 
Length fourteen inches, extent thirty-three inches ; bill black, blue 
near the base, slightly toothed ; cere and corners of the mouth yellow ; 
irides bright amber ; frontlet and lores white ; from the mouth back- 
wards runs a streak of blackish brown ; upper parts dark brown, the 
plumage tipped, and the head streaked, with whitish ; almost all the 
feathers above are spotted or barred Avith Avhite ; but this is not seen 
unless they be separated by the hand ; head large, broad and flat ; cere 
very broad, the nostril also large; tail short, the exterior and interior 
feathers somewhat the shortest, the others rather longer, of a full black, 
and crossed with two bars of white, tipped also slightly with whitish ; 
tail-coverts spotted with white ; wings dusky brown, indistinctly barred 
Avith black ; greater part of the inner vanes snoAvy ; lesser coverts, and 
upper part of the back, tipped and streaked Avith bright ferruginous ; 
the bars of black are very distinct on the loAver side of the Aving ; 
lining of the Aving broAvnish Avhite, beautifully marked with small arrow- 
heads of broAvn ; chin Avhite, surrounded by streaks of black ; breast 
and sides elegantl}^ spotted Avith large arroAV-heads of broAvn, centred 
Avith pale broAvn ; belly and vent, like the breast, Avhite, but more thinly 
marked Avith pointed spots of broAvn ; femorals broAvnish Avhite, thickly 
marked Avith small touches of brown and Avhite ; vent white ; legs very 
stout ; feet coarsely sealed, both of a dirty orange yelloAv ; claws 
semicircular, strong and very sharp, hind one considerably the largest. 
While examining the plumage of this bird, a short time after it was 
shot, one of those Avinged ticks, Avith Avhich many of our birds are infest- 
ed, appeared on the surface of the feathers, moving about, as they 
usually do, backAvards or sidcAvise, like a cral), among the plumage, 
with great facility. The Fish-HaAvk, in particular, is greatly pestered 
with these vermin, Avhich occasionally leave him as suits their conve- 
nience. A gentleman, Avho made the experiment, assured me, that on 
plunging a live Fish-HaAvk under Avater, several of these winged ticks 
remained hovering over the spot, and the instant the haAvk rose above 
the surface, darted again among his plumage. The experiment Avas 
several times made, Avith the like result. As soon, hoAvever, as these 
parasites perceive the dead body of their patron beginning to become 
cold, they abandon it ; and if the person Avho holds it have his head 
uncovered, dive instantly among his hair, as I have myself frequently 
experienced; and though driven thence, repeatedly return, till they are 
caught and destroyed. There are various kinds of these ticks : the 
one found on the present ILiAvk is figured beside him. The head and 
thorax Avere li";ht broAvn ; the lesrs, six in number, of a brio-ht green, 
their joints moving almost horizontally, and thus enabling the creature 
to pass Avith the greatest ease between the laminte of feathers ; the 
