THE DESERT SPARRO\\' HAWK. 



541 



Pacific coast district ) chiefly west of the Rock\' ^Mountains, south to northwestern 

 Mexico. 



Range in Washington. — Abundant summer resident, and not common resi- 

 dent east of the Cascade Mnuntains; common in summer west of Cascades, where 

 winter ( ? ) birds are reverting to phnnage of typiciis. 



Authorities. — [Lewis and Clark. Hist. Ex. ( 1814). Ed. Biddle : Cones. \'ol. 

 H. p. iS^l? Fa!co st^arzrrius. Brewster, ]V X. (J. C. MI. (Jct. 18S2. v. 22j. 

 (T.) D'.'Ra. D-\ Ss'. Ss-'. Kk. J. B. E. 



Specimens.— U. of W. P'. Prov. BN ? E? 



THIS handsome little Falcon is tm- 

 questionabl}- the best known as it is the 

 most abundant bird nf prey in \\'ashing- 

 ton. The not 

 tmconimon in 

 open situations 

 west of the 

 Cascades, it is 

 more perfectly 

 at home in the 

 rocky defiles or 

 upon the arte- 

 misia plains of 

 the East-side. 

 Comma n d i n g 

 ■points of rock 

 are \\" (j r n 

 smooth I)y the 



clasp of many sharp-spurred 

 claw^s; and tree-tops serxe for 

 sentry - bo.xes whenever the 

 birds pass that wa_\". Telegraph poles are 

 regarded as a .special conxenience, since 

 they traverse the treeless stretches which 

 afford no other watch-towers ; and the 

 tourist may relieve the tedium of tra\"ei 

 as often as he likes liy counting the fleeing 

 Falcons melting away before the shriek 

 of the "limited." From such points of 

 vantage as these the birds attenti\-el\' 

 watch the happenings on the ground, and 

 dive flown whenever thev consider that 

 their presence is needed b\- mouse or 



Taken in Oregon. 



Photo by A. IV. .-Inthony. 



DESERT SPARROW HAWK. 



