BIRDS OF KANSAS. 287 



tail crossed ou middle featliers by six very distinct and entirely continuous nar- 

 row bands of buffy whitish; secondaries distinctly banded with ochraceous, and 

 outer webs of quills distinctly spotted with a lighter tint of the same. Young 

 {both sexes): Similar to adult female, but more decidedly buffy below, and upper 

 parts more or less tinged with rusty. {Ridr/way.) 



A pair in the "Goss Ornithological Collection" are, in dimen- 

 sions: 



stretch of 

 Length. wing. 



Male 11.20 23.50 



Female... 13.00 26.00 



Iris dark brown; bill horn blue, greenish at base; cere, legs 

 and feet greenish to light lemon yellow; claws black. 



This species, in habits and actions, is not noticeably different 

 from the Pigeon Hawk, except that it prefers the more open 

 grounds and prairies for its home. It flies with great ease and 

 celerity, catching the bird it selects for its prey in a fair chase, 

 following it ia all its hopeless windings and turns. It also feeds 

 largely upon the grasshoppers and lizards of the plains. 



I have met with this bird in the mountains of Colorado dur- 

 ing the breeding season, but failed to find them nesting, neither 

 can I find any description of their nesting habits (presumably 

 the same as the Pigeon Hawk). Mr. Kidgway, in his ' ' Manual, ' ' 

 says: "Eggs (single specimen), 1.52x1.22; buffy white, hand- 

 somely marbled and irregularly spotted with madder brown. ' ' 



Subgenus TINNUNCULUS Vieillot. 



"Two primaries with inner webs emarginated; first shorter than fourth. 



"Coloration of the sexes very different in pattern and tints at all ages; old 

 and young alike. Scutellse of the toes and tarsus interrupted at the digito-tarsal 

 joint; tarsus much longer than middle toe. Bill small, the cere on top less than 

 one-fourth the culmeu." 



Falco sparverius Lixn. 



AMERICAN SPARROW HAWK. 

 PLATE XIX. 



Kesident; abundant. Begin laying the first of April. 



B. 13. R. 420, 420a. C. 508, 509. G. 195, 135. U. 360. 



Habitat. The whole of temperate North America; south in 

 winter to northern South America. 



Sp. Char. "■Adult male: Forehead, lateral and posterior regions of the ver- 

 tex, occiput and wings, bluish ash. Vertex, nape, scapulars, interscapulars, 



