FALCONID.*; — THE- FALCONS. 



121 



An egg in the Snuthsonian Collection (15,51)0), taken at Gilmer, Wyoming 

 TeiTituiy, ^lay 1^!, 1870, by Mr. H. It. Durkee, has a ground-color of pink- 

 ish-white, varying in two egg.s to diluted vinaceous, thickly spotted and 

 minutely freckled with a single shade of a purplish-ruious. In shape they 

 are nearly elliptical, the smaller end being scarcely more pointed than the 

 larger. Tiiey measure 2.27 liy l.GO to 1.65 inches. The nest was built on 

 the edge of a cliff. Its eggs were also taken by l)r. Ilayden while with 

 Captain Eaynolds, at Gros Vent Fork, June 8, ISGU. 



Subgenus F A L C O , Mas n in no. 



Falco, M(EiiniNG, 1752. (Type, Falco pcrajrinm, G.M. = F. communis, Gm.) 

 Rhynchodon, NiTZscii, 1840. (lu part only.) 

 Euhierax, Wnni!. & Berth., 1841. (Type, Falco — '!) 

 Iclhicrax, Kaup, 1844. (Type, Falco frontalis, Daud.) 



The following synopsis of tlie three American species of this subgenus 

 may serve to distinguish them from each other, though only two of them 

 {F. aurantius and F. riifujularis) are very closely related. The comparative 



F. aurantius. 



31893, J 



F. aurantius. 



52814,^. 



F rufi^utaris (nat. .size). 



F- rufign'oris (nat size). 



characters of the several geographical races of the other one {F. communis), 

 which is cosmopolitan in its habitat, being included under the head of that 

 species, may explain the rea.sons why they are separated I'rora each other. 



