FALCO, the falcon, in natural history, a genus of birds of the order Accipi tres. Generic character : the bill hooked and covered at the base with a cere ; head and neck covered with closely-set feathers ; tongue bifid at the end ; nos trils placed in the cere ; legs and feet scaly ; middle toe connected with the outermost by a strong membrane as far as the first joint ; claws large, much hook ed, and very sharp ; the female stronger and larger than the male. The falcon tribe uniformly have close set feathers on the head and neck, and in this respect are particularly distinguished from the vulture tribe, which are destitute of fea thers always on part of the head, and sometimes on the whole head and neck. The claws of the falcon class are more hooked and sharp also than those of the vulture. The falcon derives exquisite delight from destroying its prey, and de vonring it while fresh. Though it will sometimes devour a quantity of food cal -culated to excite astonishment, at one re past, it will endure abstinence of several day's duration, and has been even stated by some to survive in situations, in which, for weeks, it has not had the smallest sup ply. It lives on fish, as well as on flesh, and also on snakes and reptiles. It is confined to no particular climate, but found in almost all. To the falcon class belongs the eagle, which takes the pre cedence among birds, as the lion among quadrupeds, from its strength, activity, and courage; and some ingenious natura lists have been fond. of running a parallel between these animals to a considerable extent and minuteness. It is obierved of the eagle, that he never undertakes a chase singly, but when the female is en gaged in incubation, or in feeding her young ; during this period he supplies, by his solitary exertions, the wants of his partner and of himself; at every other season their efforts arc united in the pur suit of prey. They often soar beyond the reach of the human eye ; but, though unseen, their sounds are heard with con siderable distinctness, and have been com pared to the barking of a dog.
'There belong to the falcon genus, according to Latham, 98 species, and Gmelin enumerates no fewer than 136.
The following merit the principal atten tion.
F. chryasmtus, or the golden eagle, measures more than three feet in length, and above eight in breadth, and weighs about 16 pounds ; the male weighs little more than two-thirds of the female. This bird has been known to breed in the highest mountains of Wales, and among the Cheviot hills, but is very rare ly indeed recognized in Great Britain, though it is said to be seen not unfre quently in the mountainous districts of the sister island : it is very seldom found beyond the 55th degree of north ern latitude. See Ayes, Plate VII. fig. 1.
The F. leucocephalus, or the bald ea gle, is found in Europe, but more fre quently in North-America, and lives on fish as well as flesh. The singular man ner in which it procures the former is de serving of notice. It is described by the ingenious and eloquent Wilson in a man ner, as his biographer Mr. Ord justly ob serves, that is perhaps unrivalled by the whole tribe of naturalists, from the age of Pliny to the present day.
" In procuritig these, he displays, in a very singular manner, the genius and em ergy of his character, which is fierce, con templative, daring and tyrannical ; attri butes not exerted but on particular occa sions; but when put forth, overpowering all opposition. Elevated on the high dead limb of some gigantic tree, that com mands a wide view of the neighbouring shore and ocean, he seems calmly to con template the motions of the various fea thered tribes that pursue their busy avo cations below ; the snow white gulls slowly winnowing the air ; the busy tringx coursing along the sands ; trains of ducks streaming over the surface ; si lent and watchful cranes intent and wad ing: clamorous crows, and all the wing ed multitudes that subsist by the bounty of this vast liquid magazine of nature. High over all these hovers one, whose action instantly arrests all his attention. By his wide curvature of wing, and sud den suspension in air, he knows him to be the fish-hawk settling over some de voted victim of the deep. His eye kin dles at the sight, and balancing himself, with half opened wings on the branch, he watches the result.