Palco porogrinus. 
Middlesex County, Mass. 
While sitting on Nesbitt’s piazza in Cambridge a 
fine Duck Hawk skimmed by vrithin thirty yards. Passing 
over an open field v/hore some v,rhite hens wore feeding 
it stopped four successive times at them selecting a 
different bird each time. It descended from a height 
of about thirty feet in an irregular spiral extending its 
talons as it neared the hen but each time Just missing 
her and, with a superb wheel, rising again to its former 
elevation. It was apparently only playing, diving 
down in sheer wanton sport, for there was nothing what¬ 
ever to prevent it seizing its clumsy prey had it really 
tried to do so. The hens, natually enough were badly 
rightened, fluttering off in all directions in frantic 
haste. During the whole time this Falcon was in sight it 
did not once flap its wings, its movements though exceed¬ 
ingly swift, being simply easy gliding turns. It was 
a small bird, evidently a male, and appeared dark brown 
in color. 
