144 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Palco i^salon lithofalco (Gmelin). 



\ :ir. cf>liiin1»arius, Lixx^xs. 



PIGEON HAWK; AMERICAN MERLIN. 



Falco columbariiis, LiXN. Syst. N.it. 17ti6, p. 128. — Gmel. .Syst. Nat. 1789, p. 281. — 

 Lath. Ind. Orn. I, 44, 1790; Syn. I, 101, sp. 86; Supp. 1, 27, 1802; Gen. Hist. T, 

 278, 1821. — D.A.un. Tr. Orn. IT, 83, 1800. —SuAW. Zoiil. VII, 188, 1812. — Wils. 

 Am. Orn. pi. xv, tig. 3, 1808. —Jard. (Wius.) Am. Orn. I, p. 234, 1808. — Jamks. 

 (Wils.) Am. Orn. I, 61. — BiiKW. (Wils.) Am. Orn. I, 683, 1852.— Rich. Faun. Bor. 

 Am. II, 35, 1831. — AuD. Syn. B. A. p. 16, 1839 ; Orn. Biog. I, 466. — Bo.nap. Ann. 

 Lye. N. Y. 11, 28 ; Isis, 1832, p. 1136 ; Eur. & N. Am. B. p. 4, 1838. — Xutt. Man. 

 I, 60, 1833. —Cuv. Reg. An. (ed. 2), I, 322, 1829. — Le.ss. Tr. Orn. p. 92, 1831.— 

 FoKST. Phil. Trans. LXII, 382, 1772. —Swains. Classif. H. II, p. 212, 1837.— 

 Jakd. Ann. Nat. Hist. XVllI, 118. — Gos.se, B. Jam. p. 17, 1847. — S.^gra, 

 Hist. Nat. Cuba Ois. p. 23. — Wedderb. Jard. Cont. Orn. 1S49, p. 81. — Hintnis, 

 Jard. Cont. Orn. 1850, p. 6. — De Kay, Zoiil. N. Y. II, 13, pi. iv, f. 9, 1844.— 

 GiRAiTD, B. Long Isl. p. 17. — Blackist. Ibis, III, 315. Tinnunculus columbarium, 

 ViElLL. Ois. Am. Sept. I, pi. xi, 1807 ; Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat. XII, 104, 1819 ; Enc. 

 Metli. Ill, 1236, 1823. Htjpolriorchis colutnbarius. Gray, List B. B. Mus. p. 55, 

 1844; Gen. B. fol. .sp. 11, 1844. — C'A.ss. B. Calif. & Te.x. p. 90, 1854. — WooDir. 

 (Sitg.) Exp. Zuni & Colorad. p. 60, 1853. — Heerm. P. I!. K. Rept. II, 31, 1855.— 

 NEwn. P. R. Rept. VI, 74, 1857.- Cass. B. N. Am. p. 9, 1858. — Cooper & Suck. 

 P. R. R. Rept. XII, 1860, 142. — Cour.s, Pr. A. N. S. Phil. 1866, 6.— Brewer, 

 Oology, 12. Lithofalco cohanbarius, BoNAP. Consp. Av. p. 26, 1850. ^-Esalon colum- 

 barius, Kaui', Monog. Falc. Cont. Orn. p. 54, 1850. — Gray, Hand List, I, 21, 1869. 

 Falco obscurus, Gmel. Syst. Nat. p. 281, 1789. — Lath. Ind. Orn. p. 44, 1790 ; Syn. 

 Snpp. I, 38, 1802 ; Gen. Hist. I, 272, 1821. — Daud. Tr. Orn. II, p. 12.3, 1800. Falco 

 intermixtiis, Daud. Tr. Orn. II, p. 141, 1800. — Lath. Gen. Hist. I, 136, 1821. F. 

 temerarms, AuD. B. Am. pis. I.\xv, xcii, 1831 ; Orn. Biog. I, 380, 1831. F. auduboni, 

 Blackw. Res. Zoiil. 1840. Accipitcr pal umbarius, C.\tesb. Carol. I, pi. iii, 1754. 



Sp. Char. AduU male. Above cinereous, varying in .'^hade, but generally of a slatj'- 

 bluish cast ; each feather with a distinct shafl-.streak of black, these lines most conspicuous 

 on the head above. Tail with a very broad .subterniinal band of black, about one inch in 

 width; there are indications of three other bands, their continuity and di.stinction vary- 

 ing with the individual, but generally quite conspicuou.', and each about li.ilf the width of 

 the terminal one ; the subterminal black band is succeeded by a terminal one of white, 

 of about three-sixteenths of an inch in width, sometimes broa<ler ; on the lafcr.il feathers 

 the black bauds are always conspicuous, being in form of transverse olilong spots, crossing 

 the shaft, but le.-is extended on the outer web, which is often immaculate except at the 

 end, the broad terminal band always extending to the edge of the feather. Primaries 

 dusky-black, margined terminally more or less distinctly with whitish (sometimes fading 

 on the edge only) ; on tlie inner web is a series of about eight transverse oval spots of 

 white, and generallj' corresponding to these are indications of bluish-ashy spots on the 

 outer web. Beneath white, tliis purest on the throat, which is immaculate : there is 

 generally a more or less strong tinge of fulvous beueatli, this always prevalent on the 

 tibias, and on a distinct collar extending round the nape, interrupting the blue above ; 

 the tibise frequently incline to ochraceous-rufous. Lateral portions of the head with fine 

 streaks of dusky, these thickest on upper edge of the ear-coverts, leaving a distinct 

 whitish .superciliary streak, those of opposite sides meeting on the forehead. Breast, 

 up]ier part of the abdomen, sides, and flanks, with longitudinal stripes of umber, each 

 with a shaft-streak of bhi<;k ; on the Hanks their shape is modified, here taking the form 



