both of a dirty orange yellow; claws semicircular, strong and very sharp, hind one considerably the largest.

While examining the plumage of this bird, a short time after it was shot, one of those winged ticks, with which many of our birds are infested, appeared on the surface of the feathers, moving about, as they usually do, backwards or sidewise, like a crab, among the plumage, with great facility. The Fish-Hawk, in particular, is greatly pestered with these vermin, which occasionally leave him as suits their convenience. A gentleman, who made the experiment, assured me, that on plunging a live Fish-Hawk under water, several of these winged ticks remained hovering over the spot, and the instant the Hawk rose above the surface, darted again among his plumage. The experiment was several times made, with the like result. As soon, however, as these parasites perceive the dead body of their patron beginning to become cold, they abandon it; and if the person who holds it have his head uncovered, dive instantly among his hair, as I have myself frequently experienced; and though driven thence, repeatedly return, till they are caught and destroyed. There are various kinds of these ticks: the one found on the present Hawk is figured beside him. The head and thorax were light brown; the legs, six in number, of a bright green, their joints moving almost horizontally, and thus enabling the creature to pass with the greatest ease between the laminæ of feathers; the wings were single, of a dark amber colour, and twice as long as the body, which widened towards the extremity, where it was slightly indented; feet two clawed.

This insect lived for several days between the crystal and dial-plate of a watch, carried in the pocket; but being placed for a few minutes in the sun, fell into convulsions and died.

SPECIES 11. FALCO FURCATUS.**

SWALLOW-TAILED HAWK.

[Plate LI.-Fig. 2.]

LINN. Syst. 129.-LATH. 1, 60.-Hirundo maxima Peruviana avis prædatoris calcaribus instructa, FEUILLEE, Voy. Peru, tom, 11, 35.-CATESB. 1, 4.—Le Milan de la Caroline, BRISS. I, 418.-BUFF. 1, 221.-TURT. Syst. 149.-Arct. Zool. p. 210, No. 108.-Peale's Museum, No. 142.

THIS very elegant species inhabits the southern districts of the United States in summer; is seldom seen as far north as Pennsylvania, but is very abundant in South Carolina and Georgia, and still more so in West Florida, and the extensive prairies of Ohio and the Indiana territory. I met with these birds, in the early part of May, at a place called Duck-creek, in Tennessee, and found them sailing about in great numbers near Bayo Manchac on the Mississippi, twenty or thirty being within view at the same time. At that season a species of Cicada, or locust, swarmed among the woods, making a deafening noise, and I could perceive these Hawks frequently snatching them from the trees. A species of lizard, which is very numerous in that quarter of the country, and has the faculty of changing its colour at will, also furnishes the Swallow-tailed Hawk with a favourite morsel. These lizards are sometimes of the most brilliant light green, in a few minutes change to a dirty clay colour, and again become nearly black. The Swallow-tailed Hawk, and Mississippi Kite, feed eagerly on this lizard; and, it is said, on a small green snake also, which is the mortal enemy of the lizard, and frequently pursues it to the

*F. forficatus, LINN. Syst. 1, p. 89, Sp. 11, ed. 10.—LATH. Ind. Orn. p. 22, No. 41.--Milvus furcatus, VIEILLOT, Ois. de l'Am. Sept. vol. 1, p. 38, pl. 10.

very extremity of the branches, where both become the prey of the Hawk."

The Swallow-tailed Hawk retires to the south in October, at which season, Mr. Bartram informs me, they are seen in Florida, at a vast height in the air, sailing about with great steadiness; and continue 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 lower, elevate, or otherwise direct their course. I have never yet met with their nests.

A spe

These birds are particularly attached to the extensive prairies of the western countries, where their favourite 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. cimen now in the Museum of Philadelphia, was shot within a few miles of this city. We are informed, that one was taken in the South sea, off the coast which lies between Ylo and Arica, in about lat. 23° south, on the eleventh of September, by the Reverend the Father Louis Feuillée.† They are also common in Mexico, and extend their migrations as far as Peru.

The Swallow-tailed Hawk measures full two feet in length, and upwards 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 with a blood-red ring; whole 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 parts, 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;

* This animal, if I mistake not, is the Lacerta bullaris, or Bladder Lizard, of Turton, vol. 1, p. 666. The facility with which it changes colour is surprising, and not generally known to naturalists.

† Jour. des Obs. Tom. II, 33.

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 with white, but generally covered by the scapulars; inner vanes of the secondaries white on their upper half, black towards their points; lining of the wings white; legs yellow, short and thick, and feathered before, half way below the knee; claws much curved, whitish; outer claw very small. The greater part of the plumage is white at the base; and when the scapulars are a little displaced, they appear spotted with white.

This was a male in perfect plumage. The colour and markings of the male and female are nearly alike.

SPECIES 12. FALCO MISSISSIPPIENSIS.

MISSISSIPPI KITE.

[Plate XXV.-Fig. I, Male.]

PEALE'S Museum, No. 403.

THIS new species I first observed in the Mississippi territory, a few miles below Natchez, on the plantation of William Dunbar, esquire, where the bird represented in the plate was obtained, after being slightly wounded; and the drawing made with great care from the living specimen. To the hospitality of the gentleman above mentioned, and his amiable family, I am indebted for the opportunity afforded me of procuring this, and one or two more new species. This excellent man, (whose life has been devoted to science) though at that time confined to bed by a severe and dangerous indisposition, and personally unacquainted with me, no sooner heard of my arrival at the town of Natchez, than he sent a servant and horses, with an invitation and request to come and make his house my home and head-quarters, while engaged in exploring that part of the country. The few happy days I spent there I shall never forget.

In my perambulations, I frequently remarked this Hawk sailing about in easy circles, and at a considerable height in the air, generally in company with the Turkey-Buzzards, whose manner of flight it so exactly imitates, as to seem the same species, only in miniature, or seen at a more immense height. Why these two birds, whose food and manners, in other respects, are

This species, although supposed to be new by Wilson, had been figured and described by Vieillot, in his "Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux de l'Amérique Septentrionale," under the name of Milvus cenchris. Vieillot refers it to the F. plumbeus of Gmelin, and the Spotted-tailed Hobby of Latham. Gen. Syn. 1, p. 106.