76 
WINTER FALCON. 
ness is never lost in tlie living bird, tbougli in stuffed skins, and pre- 
served specimens, it is frequently entirely obliterated. I bave no 
besitation, tberefore, in giving it as my opinion, tbat tbe present and 
preceding birds are of tbe same species, differing only in age, both 
being males. Of tbe female I am unable at present to speak. 
Pennant, in bis account of tbe Cbocolate-colored Hawk, Avbicb is very 
probably tbe same vritb tbe present and preceding species, observes, 
tbat it preys mucb on ducks, sitting on a rock, and watcbing tbeir rising, 
wben it instantly strikes them. 
Wbile traversing our seacoast and salt marsbes, between Cape May 
and Egg Harbor, I was everywhere told of a Buch Haivlc, noted for 
striking down ducks on wing, tbougb flying with tbeir usual rapidity. 
Many extravagances were mingled witb tbese accounts, particularly, 
tbat it always struck tbe Duck witb its breast-bone, wbicb was univer- 
sally said to project several inches, and to be strong and sharp. From 
tbe best verbal descriptions I could obtain of this Hawk, I have strong 
suspicions tbat it is no other than tbe Blade IlmvJc, as its wings were 
said to be long and very pointed, the color very dark, the size nearly 
alike, and several other traits given that seemed particularly to belong 
to this species. As I have been promised specimens of this celebrated 
Hawk next winter, a short time will enable me to determine the matter 
more satisfactorily. Few gunners in that quarter are unacquainted 
with the DiicJc Hcnoh, as it often robs them of tbeir wounded birds, 
before they are able to reach them. 
Species XVI. FALCO HYEMALIS. 
WINTER FALCON. 
[Plate XXXV. Fig. 1.] 
TuRTON, Syst. p. 156.— Jre^. Zool. p. 209, No. 107.* 
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 November, and leaves 
US' late in March. 
This is a dexterous Frog-catcher ; who, tbat he may pursue his pro- 
fession with full effect, takes up his winter residence almost entirely 
among our meadows and marshes. He sometimes stuffs himself so 
* We add the following sjnonymes : Falco hjemalis. GiiEi.. Syst. i., p. 274. — 
Lath. Ind. Orn. p. 35. 
