FALCO COLUMBARIUS, PIGEON HAWK, 345 



build a large, bulky uest of sticks and other coarse material, as noticed 

 by Dr. Wood on Talcott Mountain, and by Audubon on the clifits of tbe 

 Labrador coast. The eggs of this species are also stated to be from 

 two to five in number, four being the usual nest-complement. Oology 

 is attractive and in many respects satisfactory, but it is certainly the 

 most unsafe department of ornithology. 



Mr. Allen continues the subject in his later communication to the 

 American Naturalist, as above quoted: "One or more pairs of these 

 birds have been seen about Mounts Tom and Holyoke every season 

 since the first discovery of their eggs at the former locality, in 1864. 

 Mr. Bennett has since carefully watched them, and his frequent labori- 

 ous searches ior their nests have been well rewarded. In 18G0 he took 

 a second set of eggs, three in number, from the eyrie i^reviously occu- 

 pied. In 18C7 the male bird was killed late in April, and this appar- 

 ently prevented their breeding there that year, as they probably other- 

 wise would have done ; at least no nest Avas that year discovered. In 

 1808 Uawks of this species were seen about the mountains, and, although 

 they 1 eared their young there, all effort to discover their nest was inef- 

 fectual. The present year (1869) they commenced to lay in the old 

 uesting-pl;;ce, but as they were robbed when but one egg had been de- 

 posited, they deserted it, and cbose a site still more inaccessible. Here 

 they were equally unfortunate; for, during a visit to the mountain in 

 company with Mr. Bennett, April U8, we had the i^leasure of discovering 

 their second eyrie, and from which, with considerable difficulty, three 

 freshly-laid eggs were obtained. Not discourased by this second mis- 

 fortune, they nested again, this time depositing their eggs in the old 

 eyrie, from which all, excepting the last set of eggs, have been obtained. 

 Again they were unfortunate, Mr. Bennett removing their second set of 

 eggs, three in number, May 23d, at which time incubation had just com- 

 menced. The birds remained about the mountain all the summer, and, 

 from the anxiety they manifested in August, it appears not improbable 

 that they laid a third time, and at this late period had unfledged young." 



Accounts from the West are meagre. The only indictitions from the 

 Missouri region I have seen arc Dr. Hayden's and Prof. Snow's. Mr. 

 Dall I'ound the bird in Alaska; a pair nested on a dead sjjruce, and had 

 young nearly ready to fly June 1st. Dr. Cooper observes that it is resi- 

 dent along the whole coast of Southern California, but migratory north 

 of the Columbia. It breeds in cavities of the lolty, inaccessible cliflV 

 overhanging the water, both along the main-land and on the islands. 

 " On Santa Barbara Island, in May, a pair which probably were still feed- 

 ing their young, swept boldly around my head, when 1 must have been 

 fully hali' a mile from the nest, and I shot the female, a very fine speci 

 men. 1 have seen one pursue a Swallow, and, turning feet upward, 

 seize it flying with perfect ease." 



FALCO COLUMBAKIUS, Linn. 



IMgcoii Hawk, 



Falco culnmhariux, Linn., Syst. Nat. i, 17()(i, 1.2H {Ac. pa1umhar\an,Q,\-YV.'?.., i, \\\ Ac. caro- 

 liiiciisi.i, Bmss., i, :i7«).— FousT., I'liilos. Tr. Ixii, 177'J, :5."<'i.— (i.M., Syst. Nut. i, 

 17^^l. t>xl.— Lath., Iiul. Orn. i, 17S>0, 44.— Uacd., Tr. Orii. ii. 1^)0, K{.— Suaw, 

 Gi'u Zool. vii, l,^8._Civ.. K. A. 2(1 .■(!. i, :32-J.— Wii.s., Am. Oni. ii, I.SIU. 107, 

 pi. 15, f. ;{.— .Iaui)., od. Wils. i, •2r)4.— Jamks., e<l. Wils. i, (il.— 15i(i:w., cd. Wils. 

 (W:i.— Hi'., Syii. IH-iS, 38; Ism, IKW, li:{().— Nrrr.. Jlaii. i, IKi-i, HO.— Lk.s.s.. Tr. 

 Orn. 92— Kim. & Sw., F. IJ. A. ii, IKH. :{5.— Sw., C'iassil". B. ii. 1837. 212.— 

 Aci>., Om. 151. .;r. i, 1832, 4()l); v, ;.(i8 ; pi. i>:'; Svii. ISW. Ui ; H. Am. i, 1S4U. 88, 

 pi. 21— Uv., List, 18;W, 4.— GiK., 13. L. I. 1844, i7.-Dt;KAY, N. Y. Zool. i, 1844, 



