536 TllH ULACK AIERUN. 



No. 216. 



BLACK MERLIN. 



A. T). IT. No 357a. Faico coliimbariiis siickieyi Ridgw. 



Synonyms. — SrcKLEv's Mi:kli.\. I'iI.ack I'ji.k.dn Hawk. 



Description. — .Idiilts: Similar to /•'. coliiiiihariiis but nuicli darker. .Idiilt male 

 ill high pluinaijc: .Above blackish slate, nearly Ijlack on hind-neck, definitely black 

 on lesser wing-coverts ; pilevnn and occiput finely streaked with dusky ; remaining 

 upper plumage sharply streaked by black shafts of feathers; flight-feathers black 

 on e.xposed surfaces, the white spotting plainly visible from below but much 

 reduced in e.xtent ; tail black above on e.xposed portion, narrowly tipped with 

 white, below crossed b}- three obsolescent white bars (appearing only on inner 

 webs), the distal bar nearly two inches from tip to tail ; below as in P. coluinbarius 

 hut streaks sharper, heavier, and nearly uniform sooty black; tawny wash of 

 siller, thighs, and flanks heavier. Adult female, and male in more usual plumage: 

 Above warm brownish black, the bine ])resent as a gloss but much reduced in 

 intensity, white streaks on sides of neck tending to invade nape; spotting of 

 wings more extensive and often tawny-tinged : tail crossed by four subterminal 

 bars, of which two visible from above, white or tinged with tawny ; underparts 

 more heavily tinged with tawny and streaks a little more diffuse, heavier and 

 tending to confluence on sides. Young: Changes as in F. eolumbarius but always 

 darker. Size as in preceding. 



Recognition Marks. — Little hawk size; blackish or slaty above; throat finely 

 pencilled with black: underparts heavily streaked with black (or barred in 

 young ). 



Nesting. — Nest: in holes high in trees, liggs: not }et taken — presumabl_\- 

 much like those of [ireceding form. 



General Range. — Pacific coast district from northern California to Sitka, 

 east at least al<ing eastern slopes of Cascades and lllue Mountains in Oregon and 

 \\'ashingti in. 



Range in Washington. — Xot Cduinidn resident on \\"est-side; jirdbably in- 

 tergrades \\ iih /•" culumharius in Cascade Mountains. 



Authorities. — ? Paird. Rc]i. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. t8s8, q & 10 (i)art). 

 /•. suekleyi. Allen, P,. N. O. C. \"I. 1S81, 128. Rh. Kb. Ra. R. E. 



Specimens. — (V. of \\.) Prov. E. 



P)I,.'\CK MERLINS are fairly coniniim thrumii the country lying be- 

 tween the Cascade Range and the Pacific Ocean. They are mcst numerous 

 during migrations, but a few pairs remain with us during the summer for 

 the sake of raising a family. 



During the fall and early spring tliey are most often to be met with in 

 the open prairie countrv. and on the extensive tide fiats that are to be found 

 along Puget Sound. In such l(X-alities there is always an abundance of the 

 smaller migratorv birds, wdiicli seem to make up almost the entire sum and 

 substance of their food supply. These, so far as I ha\-e seen, are invariably 



