lU NORTH AMERICAN OOLOGY. PART I. 



night after night, upon a thorn-tree, while two yards distant a flock of larks (Stur- 

 nella miUtaris) roosted with unconcern. This is the tamest of any South American 

 Hawk, and, as if courting the society of man, it builds its nest near the huts of the 

 natives. The Gauchos say that the ' Alcon' never preys upon chickens; but while 

 visiting a farmer near San Juan, I witnessed a fact showing the contrary. One of 

 these Hawks descended into the yard and carried off a chick that could not have 

 been less than two months old. In September and October they build their nests, 

 and lay two eggs. The nest from which I procured the specimens I send you was 

 built of small sticks, upon the top of a bush that overhung a canal of water, in the 

 immediate vicinity of a mill. At first I took but one egg, which robbery did not 

 seem to trouble the old birds, as they continued to sit upon the remaining one. 

 Frequent visits to the spot did not alarm them, neither did traps placed upon the 

 nest drive them from it ; and after the second egg had been removed, they remained 

 about the place as before." 



BuTEO swAiNSONi. — Siuce the preceding pages were printed, I have been in- 

 formed by Dr. Heermann that I was in error in the statement that the egg of this 

 species was procured by him in California. Dr. Heermann writes to Professor 

 Baird in regard to it : "I procured it on the eastern slope of the Kocky Mountains, 

 on the Sweet- Water, Avhich goes through the South Pass mentioned by Fremont. 

 There being no large trees bordering that stream, this Hawk had chosen a good- 

 sized willow in which to construct its nest. Externally it was made up of large 

 twigs, and lined with the inner bark of cotton-wood and some tufts of buffalo hair. 

 The young had left the nest some time before, and I found a single egg, which was 

 carefully preserved. The old birds and a young one were shot the same day, still 

 frequenting the vicinity in which incubation had taken place. I do not recollect 

 ever having seen this species in California." 



Naxjcleeus furcatus. — Since the portion which relates to the Swallow-tailed 

 Hawk has been printed, I have learned, by letter from Maxcy Gregg, Esq. of Colum- 

 bia, South Carolina, some additional facts in regard to the geographical distribution 

 of this Hawk, which appear worth giving. He informs me that it is a rare bird in 

 the vicinity of Columbia, but thinks that it may be found breeding some ten or 

 twenty miles below that place, on the Congaree. He also states, that at the conflu- 

 ence of the Ocmulgee and Oconee rivers, in Georgia, these birds are very numerous 

 in the spring. He adds : " I may here mention, that I once in the end of July saw 

 many of these Hawks sailing about near the top of the Balsam Mountain, — one of 

 the loftiest and Avildest mountains in North Carolina (about latitude 35° 15' N., 

 longitude 82° 50' W.). I was told by a mountaineer, who was a great hunter and 

 very observant, that they are seen in that "S'icinity every summer. The circumstance 

 attracted my attention, because I had never seen the Swallow-tailed Hawk in any 

 other part of the mountains, from South Carolina to Virginia, although I had ram- 

 bled a good deal through that region." 



