42 
FALCO IIALIiETUS. 
short distance of the neat. On the near approach 
any person, the hawk utters a plaintive whistline' hh.jj 
which hecomes shriller as she takes to wing-, and s?', 
around, sometimes making a rapid descent, as if aiihl , 
directly for you ; but checking her course, and sweep) 
past, at a short distance over head, her wings niah'^j^ 
a loud vi liizzing in the air. My u-orthy friend 
Gardiner informs me, that they have even been 
ifi' 
.. K\r ».ms .* ..... J 
dariiin- spirit in this way, through the kindness 
I had requested of him the favour to transmit n)^’^( 
possible, a live fish-hawk, for the purpose of makih'|^ 
drawing of it, vi hich (minmissiou he very failhb' ■; 
executed ; and 1 think I cannot better illustrate ’ [ 
part of the bird’s character, than by quoting his Ic* 
at large. 
“ Beasley's, Great Egg Harbour, HMh June, if'. 
to fix their clau s in a negro’s head, who was attenip|' jj 
to climb to their nest ; and I had lately a proof of n'. ^ 
daring spirit in this way, through the kindness 
friend, resident, for a few weeks, at Great Egg Harb® j 
Sir, 
fish-hawk' 
■Mr 
Beasley and I went to reconnok''^.; 
> 
nest on Thursday afternoon. When ' |,( 
at the nest, I was struck with so great violence on jj, 
crown of the bat, that I thought a hole was made 
I had ascended fearlessly, and never dreamt of 
attacked. I came down quickly. There were i'h a 
nest three young ones, about the size of pullets, "dlLj 
though full feathered, were unable to fl)'. On 
morning, I went again to the nest to get a young 
which i thought I could nurse to a considerable g''*^?. fi 
sufficient to answer your purpose, if I should ^ 
procure an old one, which u as represented to 
almost impossible, on account of his shyness, an" 
danger from his dreadful claws. On taking a 
one, I intended to lay a couple of snares in the 
for which purpose I had a strong cord in my J 1 
The old birds were on the tree when Captain H- , 
approached it. As a defence, Jirofiting by the expe^Ljjfil 
of yesterday, I took a walking stick with me. ' A 
I was about half up the tree, the bird I send you su 
