FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 169 



black bands, that of the pigeon hawk being brown, with quarter inch 

 whitish bands. 



Distribution. North America from the Arctic Ocean south in winter to 

 the West Indies, and from the southern states to northern South America ; 

 breeding- mainly north of parallel 43, except in the mountains, where it 

 extends farther south. 



Nest. On ledges of cliffs and sometimes in trees or hollows of trees. 

 The cliff nests have little material, the tree nests are bulky, made of 

 sticks, grass, or moss, and lined with feathers, inner bark, and other soft 

 material. Eggs : 4 or 5, ground color white, usually hidden by blotched 

 reddish brown suffusion. 



Food. Mainly birds and insects ; occasionally small mammals. 



' ' This spirited little hawk is one of the most common birds of prey 

 within its northern range. It feeds chiefly upon small birds, but 

 often attacks birds much larger than itself. ... It seldom watches 

 from a perch, or hovers in the air as it sights its prey, but as a rule 

 darts rapidly through the thickets and over the open grounds, giving 

 chase to the birds startled in its course. ... In flight, like others 

 of the falcon family, it strikes rapidly with its wings, never sailing 

 except for a short distance." (Goss.) 



357a. F. C. suckleyi Ridgiv. BLACK MERLIN. 



Adult male. Upper parts blackish brown, wing coverts and tertials 

 slaty, tail coverts bluish slate ; tail black, with three slaty whitish bars, 

 and tip marked with whitish ; throat white streaked with black ; rest of 

 under parts blackish brown with whitish and tawny markings. Adult 

 female and young : under parts heavily marked with dusky ; iipper parts 

 blackish brown, wing coverts and tertials slaty ; tail coverts bluish slate ; 

 inner webs of quills not distinctly spotted or barred ; tail bands, except 

 for whitish tip, indistinct or obsolete. Male : wing 8, tail 4.90, tarsus 

 1.40, bill .70. Female : wing 8.25-8.50, tail 5.70-5.80, bill .55-.60. 



Distribution. Northwest coast from northern California to Sitka. 



Singularly enough the adult male black merlin had never been 

 described till Mrs. Fannie Hardy Eckstorm published a description 

 in The Auk, October, 1902, from a bird given Mr. Manly Hardy by 

 Major Bendire, who shot it at Fort Klamath, Oregon. 



The hawk is by no means as rare as this oversight would indicate. 

 Mr. Rathbun has even seen one in Seattle, near the business part of 

 the city, and noted the bird a number of times along Lake Washington. 



358. Falco richardsonii Ridgic. RICHARDSON MERLIN. 



Coloration much like that of the pigeon hawk, but averaging lighter ; 

 middle tail feathers crossed by 5 dark and 6 light bands. 



Distribution. Interior and western plains of North America, from the 

 Mississippi to the Pacific ; breeding from Saskatchewan south to Colorado ; 

 wintering in Texas. Arizona, and probably Mexico. 



Nest, eggs, and food as in jP. columbarius, p. 168. 



Male: wing 7.70-8.05, tail 4.90-5.30, bill .50-.60. Female: length 

 12.00-13.50, wing 8.80-9.10, tail 5.70-6.30, bill .55-.60, 



The habits of the Richardson merlin so far as known are the same 

 as those of the pigeon hawk. 



