SWALLOW-TAILED HAWK. 
69 
season, Mv. Bartram informs me, they are seen in Florida, at a vast 
height in the air, sailing about with great steadiness ; and continued 
to be seen thus, passing to their winter quarters, for several days. They 
usually feed from their claws as they fly along. Their flight is easy 
and graceful, with sometimes occasional sweeps among the trees, the 
long feathers of their tail spread out, and each extremity of it used, 
alternately, to loAver, elevate, or otherwise direct their course. I have 
never yet met with their nests. 
These birds are particularly attached to the extensive prairies of the 
western countries, where their favorite snakes, lizards, grasshoppers 
and locusts, are in abundance. They are sometimes, though rarely, 
seen in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and that only in long and very 
warm summers. We are informed, that one was taken in the South 
Sea, off the cost M'hich lies between Ylo and Arica, in about lat. 23° 
south, on the eleventh of September, by the Reverend the Father Louis 
Feuillde.* They are also common in Mexico, and extend their migra- 
tions as far as Peru. 
The Swallow-tailed Hawk measures full two feet in length and up- 
wards of four feet six inches in extent ; the bill is black ; cere yellow, 
covered at the base with bristles ; iris of the eye silvery cream, 
surrounded Avith a blood-red ring ; Avhole head and neck pure white, 
the shafts fine black hairs ; the whole lower parts also pure white ; 
the throat and breast shafted in the same manner ; upper jjarts, or back, 
black, glossed with green and purple ; whole lesser coverts very dark 
purple; wings long, reaching within two inches of the tip of the tail, 
and black ; tail also very long, and remarkably forked, consisting of 
twelve feathers, all black, glossed with green and purple ; several of 
the tertials white or edged Avith Avhite, but generally covered by the 
scapulars ; inner vanes of the secondaries white on their upper half, 
black toAvards their points ; lining of the Avings Avhite ; legs yelloAV, 
short and thick, and feathered before, half Avay beloAv the knee ; claAvs 
much curved, whitish ; outer claAv very small. The greater part of the plu- 
mage is Avhite at the base ; and Avhen the scapulars are a little displaced, 
they appear spotted with Avhite. 
This Avas a male in perfect plumage. The color and markings of the 
male and female are neaidy alike. 
* Jour, des Obs. torn, ii., 33. 
