410 



ZOOLOGY BIRDS. 



to be no easy matter to get within shooting distance. Their flight is 

 rather laborious and irregular, and they do not fly to any great distance 

 when alarmed, but try to hide in the mouths of the prairie-dog holes, though 



I never saw one take refuge in them. 



FAM. FALCONIDAE: FALCONS. 



FALCO LANARIUS (Auct.), var. POLYAGRUS (Cass.). 

 Prairie Falcon. 



Falco polyagrm, BD., Birds N. A., 1858, 12. KENNERLY, P. R. R. Rep., Wbipple's 

 Route, x, 1859, 19. HEERM., P. R. R. Rep., x, pt. iv, 1859, 31. Coop. & 

 SUCKL., P. R. R. Rep., xii, pt. ii, 1800, 143. HAYD., Trans. Am. Phil. Soc., 

 xii, 1862, 152. COTJES, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1866, 43. COOPER, 

 Birds Cal., i, 1870, 458 (California). STEV., U. S. Geol. Surv. Terr., 1870, 

 462 (Wyomiug). SNOW, Birds Kan., 1872, 3. HENSHAW, An. Lye. Nat. 

 Hist. N. Y., xi, 1671, 9. YARROW, Rep. Orn. Specs., 1871, Wheeler's 

 Exped., 1874, 36. 



Oennaia polyagrm, HENRY, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, 105 (New Mexico). 



Falco mexicanus, RIDG., Am. Nat., vi, 1872, 430 (Illinois). COUES, Key N. A. Birds, 

 1872, 213. 



Falco mcxicanus var. polyagrus, COUES, Birds Northwest, 1874, 339. 



Falco saker var. polyagrus, HENSHAW, Rep. Oru. Specs., 1873, Wheeler's Exped., 1874, 

 67, 137. 



Falco (Hierofalco) lanarius var. polyayrus, RIDG., Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xvi, 1873, 

 44. BD., BREW., & RIDG., N. A. Birds, iii, 1874, 123. 



Seen at several points in Arizona and New Mexico. In habits, shy 

 and solitary. I never observed it hunting its prey, but when flying it 

 maintains a direct course through the air from point to point, and progresses 

 very swiftly by short, powerful strokes of the wings. Its flight is sufficiently 

 peculiar to distinguish it from any other hawk with which I am acquainted. 



A species of hawk which I saw frequently in the fall in Utah I am cer- 

 tain was of this kind. It frequented the open prairie, and in some places 

 along the road the telegraph poles formed favorite places for them to perch 



