272 THE NATURALIST OF THE ST. CROIX 



Illinois. I have seen a few, but very few, near Mt. Carmel, where 

 C au7-a is not only extremely abundant, but also a regular winter 

 resident! Can't you send us a few Evening Grosbeaks? Our 

 series is very meagre — about half a dozen altogether, including 

 good, bad, and iudifterent. Of Bohelnian Was Wings we have 

 plenty — that is, for our reserve series. 



Nelson, at last accounts, had gone to southern New Mexico, 

 but his regular post office address is Santa Fe, N. M. His health 

 is somewhat improved, but his physician has ordered him to 

 remain west for another year. We have not heard from Turner 

 lately. Stejneger (I believe you met him at the Smithsonian) has 

 sent us some excellent things from the Commander Islands, sev- 

 eral new species, including a fine large new Sea Eagle (Haliaetus 

 hypoleucus). We have now a number of good collectors in the 

 field: Nutting in Nicaragua; Belding in Lower California, etc.; 

 and Professor Baird is going to send a man to McCloud Kiver, 

 California, and also another to Madagascar, as well as one to 

 northern Mexico. Well, I hope this letter will not be as long 

 reaching you as my last was, and hoping also to hear from you 

 again soon, I am 



Yours very truly, 



Egbert Ridgway. 



Washington, December 4, 1884. 

 Dear Mr. Boardman: 



The Pigeon Hawk was received this morning and 1 have just 

 concluded a careful examination and comparison of it with our 

 collection. The specimens with which it was compared are from 

 West Indies (including Bahamas), Long Island, District of 

 Columbia, Hudson's Bay Terr., Alaska, California, Oregon, 

 Mexico, and Nicaragua — a pretty good series altogether. I am 

 sorry that we have no Florida examples with which to compare 

 it, for your bird is certainly difterent from all of ours in the very 

 dark coloi'ation of the lower parts, restricted white markings on 

 the inner webs of the primaries, and very broad subterminal black 

 baud on the tail. In the second feature a sj^ecimen from Santa 

 Clara, California, is similar; but in the other characters men- 

 tioned your specimen is unique. Still, while it may be that 

 resident Florida birds of this species may be like yours, I should 



