AMERICAN BROWN OR SLATE-COLORED HAWK. 89 
came down, and without any ceremony, or heeding the loud 
cries of the house-wife, who most reluctantly witnessed 
the robbery, snatched away a chicken directly before us. 
At another time, near Tuscaloosa, in Alabama, I observ- 
ed a pair of these birds furiously attack the large Red- 
tailed Hawk, squalling very loudly, and striking him on 
the head until they had entirely chased him out of sight. 
This enmity appeared to arise from a suspicion, that the 
Buzzard was prowling round the farm-house for the 
poultry, which these Hawks seemed to claim as their 
exclusive perquisite. As this was, however, the 13th of 
February, these insulting marauders might possibly be 
already preparing to breed, and thus be incited to drive 
away every suspicious intruder approaching their nest. 
In fine weather, I have observed this species soar to a 
great elevation, and ascend above the clouds ; in this 
exercise, as usual, the wings seem but little exercised, 
the ascent being made in a sort of swimming gyration, 
though while near the surface of the earth the motion of 
the^wings in this bird is rapid and continuous. 
The male of this species is 12 inches long, and 21 inches in extent, 
(the female 14 inches long, and 25 in stretch of the wings.) The 
bill is bluish-black. Cere greenish-yellow. Eye-hrows strongly 
projecting. The iris reddish orange. The upper parts of a deep 
slate-blue, the feathers shafted with black. Primaries brownish- 
black, barred with dusky ; lining of the wing crowded with heart- 
shaped black spots. Tail 3 inches longer than the wings, nearly 
even, ash-colored, crossed with 4 broad bands of black, and tipped 
with white. Over the eye extends a narrow stripe of dull white. 
Chin white, mixed with black hairs. Breast, belly, and femorals 
variegated with broad, transverse, brownish spots. Vent pure 
white. Legs long, slender, and bright yellow. Claws black, re- 
markably sharp and large. — In a young female which I obtained, 
of the length of about 14 inches, the feathers of the breast and sides 
are marked with broadish transverse pale brown bars, which are ter- 
minated with pointed oblanceolate spots. This particular stage of 
plumage appeared to be anterior to the last. 
