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Wilson, Alexander, 1766-1813. / American ornithology; or The natural history of the birds of the United States
(1828)

Species 10. Falco pennsylvanicus. Broad-winged hawk,   pp. [92]-94


Page [92]


-SPECIES 10. FdLCO PENNSYLVdNICUS.*
                BROAD-WINGED HAWK.
                    [Plate LIV. -Fig. 1.]
                  PEALE'S Mfluseumn, .VNo. 407.
  THIS new species, as well as the rest of the figures in the
same plate, is represented of the exact size of life. The Hawk
was shot on the sixth of May, in Bartram's woods, near the
Schuylkill, and was afterwards presented to Mr. Peale, in
whose collection it now remains. It was perched upon the
dead limb of a high tree, feeding on something, which was af-
terwards found to be the meadow mouse, figured in plate 50.
On my approach, it uttered a whining kind of whistle, and flew
off to another tree, where I followed and shot it.   Its great
breadth of wing, or width of the secondaries, and also of its
head and body, when compared with its length, struck me as
peculiarities. It seemed a remarkably strong-built bird, hand-
somely marked, and was altogether unknown to me. Mr. Bar-
tram, who examined it very attentively, declared he had never
before seen such a Hawk. On the afternoon of the next day I
observed another, probably its mate or companion, and cer-
tainly one of the same species, sailing about over the same
woods. Its motions were in wide circles, with unmoving
wings, the exterior outline of which seemed a complete semi-
circle. I was extremely anxious to procure this also if possible;
  * The nanic Penisylvenicus, was gi0 en by lX ilson to this bird, through
in-ad-
vertence, hle having already given that name to the Slate-coloured Hawk,
which is a distinct species from the present, as Wilson was well aware. Mr.
Ord, in the reprint of this work called it F. lalisiinmts. But should the
Slate-coloured Hawk (F. Pennsylvanici'm,) and the Sharp-shinned Hawk (F.
Below,) prove to he the same species, then the name Ilennsylrantictis must
be
retained for this species, that of velox being adopted for the former.


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