FALCONID.E — THE FALCONS. 



269 



as having a greenish-white color, with a few large dark brown blotches at 

 the larger end. It was seen by the doctor as far to the north as the 57th 

 j)arallel. 



^Ir. xVudubon's drawing and description of tliis bird were taken i'rom a 

 specimen obtained by Dr. Townsend from the Cokunbia lliver. A number 

 of specimens have been obtained 

 by the various government ex- 

 ploring expeditions. A single 

 specimen was taken by ilr. Dres- 

 ser near San Antonio, in Texas. 



Captain Blakiston (Ibis, 18G1, 

 p. 317) obtained several speci- 

 mens of this Buzzard at the forks 

 of the Saskatchewan Eiver, in the 

 stomach of one of which he found 

 three toads. He states that it 

 was quite abundant in that neigli- 

 borhood. He adds that Mr. Bour- 

 geau procured se\eral specimens 

 of the eggs, identified by also ob- 

 taining tlie parents. These eggs 

 are said to have been white, more 

 or less blotched with red. Mr. 

 Bernard Ross also obtained this 

 bird on the Mackenzie Eiver, 

 where it was rare. 



This Hawk was observed by Mr. Dall, in Alaska, a skin having been 

 obtained at Koyukuk, May 26, from an Indian. Jlr. Dall states that 

 it prefers the thickets and woody places, is not so often seen as some 

 of tlie other species. It generally builds a very large nest of sticks, and 

 begins to lay about the last of April. The young are hatched out about the 

 30tli of May. It was only a summer visitor. He found not only the bones 

 of rabbits, squirrels, and mice about its nest, but also those of ducks, and in 

 one instance part of a white-fish. 



Dr. Heermann obtained an egg of this species in Northern California, 

 which had a yellowish-white ground-color, marked with obscure cloudings 

 of a purplish-gray, and irregular patches of a light tone of umber lirown. 

 It measured 2.31 inches in length, and 1.84 in breadth. 



We are indebted to Dr. W. J. Hoftiuann for the following interesting note 

 in relation to the nesting of this species : " On the 28th of May, 1871, we en- 

 camped on Antelope Creek, forty miles north of the Central Pacific Railroad 

 Station, Argunta, Xevada. The stream of water, which is small, is fringed 

 with willows, averaging about twelve feet in height. Strolling along the 

 underbrush, I came to the nest of the Biitco swainsoni, which was built on 



Buteo swainsoni (adult). 



