106 BULLETIN 17 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



tude 61° in Finland, also in the British Isles, and in the islands of the 

 Mediterranean. In Africa its breeding range extends from Morocco 

 eastward north of the Sahara, but in Egypt, the Canaries, and Cape 

 Verdes it is replaced by other forms; also in tropical and southern 

 Africa. In Asia its breeding range extends through north and central 

 Asia across the continent to the Pacific, but in Japan, parts of the 

 Chinese Empire, and the Himalayas it is replaced by other races. 



Winter range. — Extends to tropical west Africa (Togoland and 

 Haussaland) and to India and China. 



Casual records. — Besides the record from Nantasket Beach, Mass., 

 it has also been recorded from Iceland on at least one occasion, in 

 October 1903 (skin in Reykjavik Museum, Hantzsch, 1905); in the 

 Faeroes it was twice obtained by Miiller (Feilden, 1872). 



Egg dates. — For the British Isles most dates fall between April 16 

 and May 31, but second layings may be found throughout June. The 

 earliest date of which I have any note is April 4, 1929, when a clutch 

 of five eggs was found in County Tyrone, Ireland, and recorded by 

 C. V. Stoney. A nest from Hants in the British Museum is also said 

 to have been taken on April 4, 1862. 



April 16-30 (9 dates); May 1-15 (17 dates); May 16-25 (13 dates); 

 and May 26-31 (7 dates). In the Mediterranean region breeding is 

 naturally earlier; thus, in south Spain, eggs are recorded from April 2 

 to May 9 (9 dates), and in Cyprus full sets may be found in the second 

 week of April. In northern Europe, on the other hand, many birds 

 have not laid up till June. 



In middle Europe April records are scarce, and the vast majority 

 of birds have not full sets till May. 



FALCO SPARVERIUS SPARVERIUS Linnaeus 



eastern sparrow hawk 

 Plates 18-21 



HABITS 



Contributed by Winsor Marrett Tyler 



The eastern sparrow hawk, with its three local races, represents, in 

 North America, a group of small falcons that in the Temperate and 

 Tropical Zones is of nearly world-wide distribution. So closely do 

 the members of this group resemble one another that over a very 

 large part of the globe, wherever a traveler goes, he is sure to meet a 

 bird that in plumage and behavior reminds him of one of the little 

 hawks of his own country. 



Our bird received its common name through the misconception of 

 our English forefathers, who, primarily pioneers, failed to note its 

 close relationship to their kestrel and misnamed it the sparrow hawk 

 after the British bird of that name. 



