FALCOXID.E — Til K FALCONS. 

 Measurements. 



211 



11. 



Vjir. striatulus. 

 National Museum, 9; R. Ridgway, 1 ; Mu.-ieum, Cambridge, 1 (Massachusetts!). Total, 



Habits. The dreaded Blue Heu Hawk, as our Ciosliawk is usually called 

 in Xew England, is a bird of somewhat irregular occurrence south of the 

 44tli luirallel. It occurs in 

 the vicinity of Boston fmui 

 November to !March, but is 

 never very common. In other 

 parts of the State it is at times 

 not uncommon at this season. 

 It is common throughout 

 Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, 

 and Northern Maine, and 

 may undoubtedly be found 

 breeding in the northern jior- 

 tions of New Hampshire, Ver- 

 mont, and New York. In the 

 sunmier of 1872, Mr. George 

 Baxter, of l)an villa, Vt., pro- 

 cured a nest containing three 

 young birds, which were sent 

 to the New York Central Park. 

 Mr. Downes speaks of it as 

 " far too common " in the vicinity of Halifax, where it is very destructive to 

 Ducks, I'igeons, and poultry. Mr. Boardinan gives it as common near Calais, 

 where it breeds, and where he has taken its eggs. Air. Verrill mentions 

 it as resident in Western Maine, where it is one of the most common 

 Hawks. Mr. Allen found it usually rare near Sjjringfield, but remarkably 

 common during the winter of 1859 -CO. He afterwards mentions that 

 since then, and for the last ten winters, he has known them to be quite 

 common during several seasons. Ur. C. J. Maynard is confident that this 

 species occasionally breed in Massachusetts. Ho once observed a pair at a 

 vol.. m. 31 



atricaptlliis. 



breeding in the retired recesses of the mountains, remaining,' there mitu 

 their young were well able to Hy, and then all descending to the open plains, 

 where they obtain a more abundant supply of food. 



