^%L^'] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 435 



fresh, tliougb one taken five days later contained partially formed em- 

 bryo. In a few cases young birds were in the same nest along with 

 eggs, the contents of which were bnt little changed, and in another an 

 egg perfectly fresh was found with several ready to hatch. This Falcon 

 is supiwsed to be a " winterer" in the northern territories of Canada, 

 where its prey is said to consist chiefly of partridges. The allied F. 

 rusticolus (Linn.), or probably F. islandus (Briinn.), breed in small num- 

 bers in the same region, as the Indians often spoke of a large hawk, 

 twice observed by myself, which had successfully eluded all attempts 

 to capture itself or its eggs. 



356. Falco peregrinus anatum (Bonap.)- Duck Hawk. 



This falcon constructs no nest whatever so far as I know. It lays its 

 eggs on the most inaccessible ledgeof a river cliff of strata, earth, or rock. 

 Four is the usual number, and in some instances the eggs were larger 

 than in others. All of the discovered nests were found in the country 

 to the southward of the post, and it is doubtful if they breed much be- 

 yond latitude 68° north. The Duck Hawk makes a great ado when its 

 eggs are taken. Early in August, for several successive years, young 

 birds of the season, fully fledged, but still attended by tlieir parents, 

 were noticed along the limestone and sandstone banks of the Mackenzie 

 Eiver. 



357. Falco colunibarius Linu. Pigeon Hawk. 



This falcon ranges along the Anderson River almost to the Arctic 

 coast of Liverpool Bay. Several of their nests had apparently been 

 built by them on pine trees, and others on the ledges of shaly cliffs. 

 The former were composed externally of a few dry willow twigs and 

 internally of withered hay or grasses, etc., and the latter had only a 

 very few decayed leaves under the eggs. In one instance the oviduct 

 of the female contained an egg ahnost ready for extrusion. It was 

 colored like the others, but the matter was still so soft that it adhered 

 to the fingers on being touched. This peculiarity was noticed in the 

 case of several among a number of.similarly discovered eggs, although 

 a few examples taken from the oviduct of the same species were per- 

 fectly white. I would also mention the following interesting circum- 

 stance: On the 25th of May, 1804:, a trusty Indian in my employ found 

 a nest placed in the midst of a thick pine branch of a tree at a height 

 of about six feet from the ground. It was rather loosel}^ constructed 

 of a few dry sticks and a small quantity of coarse hay. It then con- 

 tained two eggs. Both parents were seen, tired at, and missed. On 

 the 31st he revisited the nest, which still held but two eggs, and again 

 missed the birds. Several days later he made another visit thereto, 

 and to his surprise the eggs and parents had disappeared. His first 

 impression was that some other person had taken them. After looking 

 carefully around, he perceived both birds at a short distance, and tijis 



