152 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



136. Falco communis rar. neevius, Gmel. 



Ratber common on the prairies near the coast during winter. — {F. 

 anaUmt, Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 323.) 



137. Falco fusco-caerulesceiis, Vieill. 



Until recently but two specimens ot this beautiful Falcon had been 

 taken within the United States, one in New Mexico, the other in Texas. 



During 1876 and 1877, I had occasionally seen a Hawk that I felt 

 confident was of this species, but did not succeed in obtaining any 

 specimens. 



On the 16tb of June of the latter year, J fouud a nest placed in 

 the top of a low Spanish bayonet growing in Palo Alto prairie, about 

 seven miles from Fort Brown. After waiting a long time, I wounded 

 the female, but she sailed off over the prairie and went down among 

 some tall grass, where she could not be found: the male did not come 

 within gunshot, though he twice rose from the nest on my approach. 

 The nest was a slightly depressed platform of twigs, with a little grass 

 for lining. The eggs, three in number, were rotten, though containing 

 well-developed embryoes. They measure 1.81 by 1.29, 1.77 by 1.33, and 

 1.88 by 1.33 respectively. This set is now in Dr. Brewer's collection. 



On May 7, 1878, a second nest was found within one hundred yards 

 of the one just mentioned, and the parent secured. The nest in situa- 

 tion and construction was precisely like the other, except that the 

 yucca was higher, the top being about twelve feet from the ground. 

 The eggs were three in number, all well advanced but one, with a 

 dead embryo. They measure 1.78 by 1.34, 1.82 by 1.29, 1.73 by 1.32 ; the 

 ground-color is white, but so thickly dotted with reddish-brown as to 

 appear of that color; over these are somewhat heavier markings of 

 deeper shades of brown. 



A single egg, without history, sent to me from Hidalgo, Texas, by 

 Dr. S. M. Finley, U. S. A., measures 1.73 by 1.36: it is probably of 

 this species, but its general appearance is much more reddish than 

 either of the above sets. 



Since becoming more familiar with the habits of tiiis Falcon, I have 

 several times observed it among yuccas and prickly pears on open 

 prairies, and it is probably a not v^ery uncommon summer resident in 

 such places in this vicinity. 



Note. — The egg referred to by Dr. Merrill as without history presents 

 a very interesting problem, only to be solved when eggs precisely 

 similar can be found with their parentage satisfactorily established. 

 It may be an egg of femoralk, but is quite as likely to be something 

 else. It resembles in the color and peculiarities of its markings no 

 eggs of the femoralis I have ever seen. It has neither the beautiful 

 vandyke-brown markings of the egg figured in my Oology, nor any 

 of the more abuiulant raw-sienna dottings found in both the speci- 



