FALCOXIDJ: — THE FALCON'S. 



24^ 



IIab. Middle America (from coast to coast), from Costa Rica and Guatemala to 

 soullicrn border of United States. Arizona, breeding (Be.n'uike). Southern Illinois 

 (Richland (3o.) June (Ridcway). 



LIST OF SPECIMENS E.\.VMIXED. 



National Museum, 13; Philadeljihia Academy, 3; Boston Society, 5; Cab. G. X. 

 Lawrence, 1 ; R. Ridg^vay, 2. Total, 24. 



Mtasuremenb. 



H^usiTS. Tliis is a Me.xican and Central American Hawk, which occa- 

 sionally crosses the boitlei-s of the United States, ha^'ing been seen hy ^Mr. 

 ]iidgway in Southern Illinois, 

 and found breeding, bj' Captain 

 Bendire, in Arizona, near Tucson. 

 It lias l)een found in the State of 

 Kew Leon, one of the most north- 

 em provinces of ile.xico, by Lieu- 

 tenant Couch, who has, however, 

 supplied no notes as to any pecu- 

 liarities in its Iiabits. It was said 

 to Vireed in the tops of lofty 

 trees, and to have eggs of a 

 greenish-white, resembling those 

 of Astvr atricnpiUus. In Cen- 

 tral America it is said by Sal- 

 vin to be abundant in the hot 

 country on both coast regions of 

 the Kepublic of Guatemala, but it is not found in the temperate regions. Its 

 food consists of lizards, and its flesh is in consequence very rank. 



>Ir. liobert Eidgway has met with this Hawk as far to the north as South- 

 ern Illinois. It was .seen and twice shot at on the 19th of August, 1871, on 

 Fox Prairie, in Itichland County. Mr. llidgway came across it while hunt- 

 ing Swallow-tail and Mississippi Kites. Tlie bird, while l>eing annoyed by 

 these Hawks, was well seen, and there cannot be the sliglitest doubt as to its 

 identity. 



Mr. l!ol)ert Owen found this Hawk, known in Guatemala by the local 

 name of Gnrilan, a common name for tlie whole race of birds of jirey, breed- 

 in" at San Geronirao, April 3, 1800. Tlie nests are usually found in the 

 hinh trees which are scattered over the plain, and not unfrequently witliin 

 a few yards of tlie Indian ranchos. Two eggs seemed to be tlie comple- 

 ment laid bv one bird. Tliese eggs are described by :^rr. (3 wen as all 



Asturina ptagiata. 



