FALCO MEXICANUS VAR. POLYAGRUS. 339 



but careful examination of the material at my command shows me decided differences, 

 constant enough to fairly warrant specific disci'imination, although I should not be 

 surprised if larger series led to a different result. But " var. striatulus" is untenable. 



This noble Hawk, one of the handsomest birds of the family when 

 in perfect plumage, is a decidedly boreal bird, entirely wanting in the 

 southern portions of the United States, appearing only in winter, and 

 in small nuuibers, in the Middle districts, but common aloug our north- 

 ern frontier. I have myself never seen it alive. According to the 

 records examined, its southward extension is from Maryland to Ohio, 

 Kentucky, Kansas, and California. It is, as a rule, rare even in South- 

 ern New Euglanrl, where, however, it appears some winters in consider- 

 able numbers. Mr. Allen remarks that it was common in Massachusetts 

 in the winter of 1859-'()0; and Mr. Samuels states that the same season 

 he received a dozeu or fltteen specimens from the vicinity of Boston. 

 Audubon says his figure was drawn trom a specimen taken in Kentucky, 

 and speaks of its breeding in New York and Pennsylvania. Such in- 

 stances of breeding as this must be, I think, exceptional. The only 

 region in the United States where it is reported as regularly resident is 

 Northern New England, where, both Mr. Boardman and Prof. Yerrill 

 state it is of common occurrence, and breeds. On the west coast, Mr. 

 Ball gives it as abundant and resident in the Yukon region. According 

 to DrvS. Cooper and Suckley, it is of frequent occurrence in Oregon and 

 Washington Territories. The specimen above quoted is the only one I 

 have ever seen from the Missouri region, where the species appears to 

 be rare, though doubtless of regular occurrence. Prof. Snow remarks 

 upon an individual killed near Lawrence, in Kansas. 



According to Dr. Brewer, the egg of the Goshawk is 2^5_ long by 

 lif broad, nearly spherical, roughly granulated, soiled white, with a 

 faint bluish shade, " marked irregularly with large but quite faint 

 blotclies of drab and yellowish-brown." It thus closely resembles that 

 of Cooper's Hawk, ditlering chiefly in its larger size ; and the niditica- 

 tion is represented as being the same in essential particulars. In the 

 nature of its prey, its mode of securing it, its general habits and nature, 

 we find it also much the same, the only difference resulting from its 

 superior prowess, if not more ferocious nature^. 



FALCO MEXICANUS var. POLYAGRUS, (Cass.) Coues. 

 American Lanier, or Prairie Falcon. 



a. mexicanus. 



Faico mexicanus, LiCHT., Mus. Berol. (Monterey, Deppe). — SCHL., Abh. Geb. Zool. u. 

 Vergl. iv, 1841, 15; M. P.-B. 18(i-2, FaUowx, p. 18.— Bp., Consp. i, 1850, 24.— 

 Gray, Hand-list, i, 1809, 20, No. 179.- Kujgw., Pr. Phila. Acad. 1870, 140 (in- 

 cludes both varieties). 



Falco {Ilhrofalm) lamuriun var. mexicanus, RiDGW., Pr. Boat. See. xvi, 1873, 44. — B. B. 

 & R., N. A. B. iii, 1874, 109. 



b. polyaffnis. 



Falco pohiafjrits, Cass., 111. 1853, 88, 121, pi. Kl.— Bn.. B. N. A. 1858, 12.— Kenn., P. R. 

 k. Rep. X, 18.59, pt. iv, 19 (Arizona.)— IIkkkm., ihid. pt. vi, 31.— Cooi'. & Suck., 

 N. H. Wa.sii. Ter. 18()0, 143 (Oregon).— Havd., Rep. 18(;2, 152.— Dkk.ss., Ibis, 

 18(;5, 323 (Texas).— Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 18(iG, 42 (Arizona).— C.uav, Hand- 

 list, i, 1809, 20, No. 178.— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 458 (California).— Snow, B. 

 Kaiis.' 1873 (Kansa.s).- Stev., U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 1870, 402 (Wyomnif?). 



Falco niexieunus, Riixiw., Ain. Nat. vi, 1872, 430 (Illinois).— CoUKS, Key, 1872, 213. 



Falco (IJierofalco) laiiinrinn var. pohja(irHH, RilHJW., I'r. Bost. Soc. xvi, 1873, 44. — B. B. 

 & R., N. A. B. iii, 1874, 123. ' 

 Z/nft.— The typical form from Mexico. Var. pohjagrus from Western United States. 



East to Illinois (Sargent). 



