“The sharp-winged hawk, of a dark or dusky blue color.” (Bartram, as
above.)
Impossible to identify, from its brevity. It may be either the
Mississippi Kite (_Ictinia mississippiensis_), the Fork-tailed Hawk
(_Nauclerus furcatus_), or the adult Marsh Hawk (_Circus hudsonius_).
16. The following names have been given without descriptions, by the
authors cited:—
Falco regalis. The great Gray Eagle. Bartram, Trav., p. 290.
Barton, Frag. Nat. Hist. Penna., p. 11.
Falco gallinarius. The Hen Hawk. Bartr. Trav., p. 290.
Falco pullarius. The Chicken Hawk. Bartr. Trav., p. 290.
Falco ranivorus. The Marsh Hawk. Bartr. Trav., p. 290.
Falco piscatorius. The Fishing Eagle. Bartram, Trav., p. 290.
Barton, Frag. Nat. Hist. Penna., p. 2, 17.
Falco cæsius. The Blue Hawk. Ord., Zool. N. A., in Guthrie’s Geog,
I. p. 315.
The above embrace all the names and descriptions of birds of this family
that have come under our notice, except those of such as are now well
ascertained to inhabit other countries exclusively, and for which nearly
allied species of North America have been mistaken. Of the latter we may
more particularly mention the European _Falco rusticolus_ (Linn.), which
is given by Fabricius as a bird of Greenland, but stated by Holboll to
have been the young of _F. anatum_, and _Buteo vulgaris_ and
_Hypotriorchis æsalon_, both of which are also European species, and
have never been found in America to our knowledge, though there are
species which are nearly related to them.
The student may advantageously bear in mind that of those above, which
were originally described by Pennant, in English, abstracts or
compilations only, in Latin, are given by Gmelin in his edition of the
Systema Natura of Linnæus. These abstracts are mostly very short, and
not always to be relied on as conveying strictly the sense of the
originals. Nor are they at all improved by Turton in his edition of
Linnæus, in which, so far as relates to these species, he merely
retranslates into English the Latin text of Gmelin without reference to
Pennant. In the study of the obscure species alluded to, the original
descriptions only can be consulted without risk of error.
[Illustration: Plate 16
The American Lanier
Falco polyagrus (_Cassin_)]
FALCO POLYAGRUS.—Cassin.
The American Lanier Falcon.
PLATE XVI.—Male and Female.
The researches of late naturalists have tended to demonstrate that the
animals of Western North America have a more intimate relationship with
those of Asia and the old world generally than those of the Eastern
portion of this continent. Nor is this affinity restricted, apparently,
to any one class, or to such as might have migrated, but is found to
exist in a greater or less degree in classes of animals, as that of
reptiles, possessing powers of locomotion too limited to admit of such
supposition. When, too, we have had our attention directed to the family
of Sparrows and Finches, to the beautiful Jays and Magpies, or the
various species of Grouse, Partridges, and many other families, we have
been almost persuaded to entertain the opinion that the birds of Western
America are of a higher grade of organization than those of the Atlantic
States. Whether such is the case in other classes of animals, we are not
prepared to say, but, if true, it is singularly accordant with the fact
that, of the aboriginal American races of men, the West has produced the
superior. And it is remarkable, too, that there are Western tribes which
very intimately resemble the Mongolian variety of the human race, if
they do not really belong to it; thus connecting themselves with the
Chinese and Japanese, and other nations of Northern Asia.
The remarkable Falcon which we now have the pleasure of introducing to
the reader, is one of the species that show close affinity to an Asiatic
congener. It is so much like a common Falcon of India, a bird much used
for the purposes of falconry, and known by the name of the _Jugger_, in
the valley of the Indus and other parts of India (_Falco jugger._ Gray,
Ill. of Indian Zoology, II. pl. 26, and Jerdon, Ill. Indian Orn., pl.
44), that it can scarcely be distinguished from it by any character,
except size. It is in fact one of the most remarkable instances of close
proximity to an Asiatic relative to be found in American birds. It is
larger than the Indian _Jugger_, and more powerful and robustly
organized.
Though trained for the chase, the Asiatic bird alluded to is not held in
as high estimation as several others; the greatest favorites being the
Peregrine Falcon (_Falco peregrinus_), nearly related to the Duck Hawk
of the Atlantic coast of America (_F. anatum_), and the Indian Goshawk
(_Astur palumbarius_), which is also a relative of an American species.
Falconry, though now little cultivated in Europe, is yet a much-pursued
and favorite pastime in several countries of the East. In addition to
the Hawks just mentioned, several others, a few of which are more or
less nearly related to species of this country, are employed. Some of
the smaller Hawks of India are so easily trained that they are set free
at the close of a hunting season, the Falconer not considering them of
sufficient value to induce him to keep them until another.
The home of the bird now before us, appears to be the mountainous
regions of Oregon and California, from which it descends in the winter
season to the lower districts, in the valleys of the rivers, and on the
shores of the Pacific. In the former country, near the sources of the
Platte river, the first specimen that we ever saw, was obtained by the
late Dr. John K. Townsend during his trip across the continent in the
year 1834, and in whose collection, now belonging to the Philadelphia
Academy, it yet remains. Since that period it has been observed in the
Rocky Mountains and on the Columbia river, by the naturalists attached
to the United States Exploring Expedition, in the Vincennes and Peacock.
In the fine zoological collection made by this expedition, is preserved
the only female specimen, in the dark plumage, described below, yet
known to have been brought to the attention of naturalists. In
California, Dr. Heermann particularly noticed this bird, and his
collection contains several specimens which he obtained in the plains
near Sacramento city.