BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 201 



which I have seen but two individuals of the species, and those 

 had been already mounted. I pronounce it a rare species in 

 Minnesota. I have never yet seen a specimen of them alive, 

 much as I have been on the alert for them. Of course occa- 

 sional individuals pass through the country in migration or 

 those mentioned could not have been obtained, for they were 

 all killed within our borders. And all the conditions requisite 

 for their food are here, so that for aught apparent they might 

 breed here as highly favored as anywhere else, yet for some 

 reason they do not to any great extent at least so far as is yet 

 known. Their food is mostly comprised of small birds. 



They reach this latitude early in April, sometimes not until 

 the middle, when they remain but a very short time. From the 

 statement of persons familiar with birds in general, one indi- 

 vidual has been met with in November, but the next latest date 

 that I have learned of was the twenty-fifth of October. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Entire upper parts bluish-slate color, each feather with a 

 black longitudinal line; forehead and throat white, other under 

 parts pale-yellowish, or reddish-white, every feather with a 

 longitudinal line of brownish-black; tibiae light ferruginous 

 with lines of black; quills black tipped with ashy-white; tail 

 light bluish-ashy, tipped with white and with a wide subter- 

 minal band of black, and with several other transverse narrow 

 bands of black; inner webs nearly white; cere and legs yellow; 

 bill blue. 



Length (of female). 12 to 14; wing, 8 to 9; tail, 5 to 5.50. 



Habitat, North America. 



Note. — The Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter velox) has been 

 confounded with this species, on account of its having also 

 been popularly called the Pigeon Hawk, but it is very unlike it 

 in nearly all respects, and finds its systematic place in another 

 genus. 



FALCO RICHARDSONII Ridgway. (358.) 



RICHARDSON'S MERLIN. 



This species so long regarded a variety of Columbarius, has 

 only, like the other, come under my notice in two skins ob- 

 tained in a collecting exploration near the head of Lake Super- 

 ior in 1875. They were listed as belonging to the other 

 species, but afterwards came under my examination when I 

 decided they were Richardson's Hawk. I am not at all certain 

 that one or two of those given under Columbarius were not of 

 this species, but not all. I subjoin Mr. Ridgways' description 

 of his newly named species. 



