316 Capt. Blakiston on Birds collected and observed 



Female: same date. Length 13^ in., wing 81, tail 5f. Legs 

 and feet somewhat duller yellow than male, bill same colour as 

 male, and cere greenish yellow. These two specimens had large 

 intestinal worms, but were in very good condition. 



No. 117 S . Forks of the Saskatchewan, May 25th, 1858. 

 Length 11^ in., wing 7|, tail 5. Feet, cere, and space round the 

 eye bright yellow, bill bluish horn-colour. Female shot at the 

 same nest : length 12| in., wing 8^, tail 5|. Feet, cere, and space 

 round the eye bright yellow. The nest of these birds was placed 

 ten feet from the ground in a clump of willows and aspen, and 

 contained four eggs. 



The Pigeon Hawk appears to be as abundant and widely 

 distributed in the northern as in the temperate regions of North 

 America, where it is found to range from the Atlantic to the 

 Pacific. Sir John Richardson mentions it as common on the 

 coasts of Hudson's Bay, and I can bear testimony to the same 

 fact in the interior. 



It is curious that in both pairs of birds mentioned above, which 

 I examined carefully, long intestinal worms were found. 



In my collection are three eggs of this species, with the male 

 bird belonging to the nest. M. Bourgeau, the indefatigable bo- 

 tanist of Captain Palliser's late exploring expedition, obtained a 

 female specimen and eggs. 



3. AsTUR ATRiCAPiLLUS, $ No. 89. Forks of Saskatchewan 

 River, May 7th, 1858. Length 24 in., wing 13|, tail 11. Bill 

 blue horn-colour, feet light dull yellow, cere light greenish yellow, 

 eye reddish orange. Shot off the nest, which contained four eggs. 



No. 13 6 young. Saskatchewan River, October 14th, 1857. 

 Length 22| in., wing 13. Eye bright yellow, feet and cere light 

 dirty greenish yellow. 



My specimens of theAmei-ican Goshawk agree in measurements 

 with the dimensions given by Professor Baird ; but the total 

 lengths given in ' Fauna Bor.-Am.' are considerably greater, 

 which leads me to think that they are measurements of the pre- 

 served specimens. I take this opportunity of stating that all 

 the measurements given by me, which can be influenced by the 

 process of preparation, are from the specimens before skinning ; 

 and that the colours of the different parts which change after 



