ZOOLOGY — BIRDS. 31 



form a great attraction to this bird, the California vulture, the turkey buzzard, and the ravens, 

 which there abound. We found this species in the Tulare valley, on the borders of large lakes, 

 and in one place counted three nests within sight of each other. In 1849, there was an eyrie o 

 these birds about four miles from Sacramento City, which they have since forsaken, on account 

 of the continual passage to and fro of steamers and vessels on the river, or they have been shot 

 by some wanton gunner, too ready to make trial of his skill upon them. 



PAN DION CAROLINENSIS, Gm el .—The Fish Hawk; The Osprey. 



Pandion carolinensis, DeKay, Nat. Hist. N. Y, Birds, part I, p. 6 ; pi. 8, fig. 18. — Cabsin, IX, 44. 



Pandion haliaetus, Aud. B. of A. Oct. vol. I, p. 64 ; pi. 15. 



Aquila haliaetus, Rich & Swains Faun. Bor. Amer. vol. II, p. 20. 



Falco haliaetus, Aud. B. of A. Fol. pi. 81. — Wilson, Amer. Ornith. vol. V, p. 13, pi. 37, fig. 1. 



Abundant, being met with throughout the whole extent of California. In the fall it migrates 

 south. 



FALCO POLYAGRUS, C a s s i n .—The American Lanier Falcon. 



Falco polyagTus, Cassin, Birds of Texas and California, p. 88 and 121, pi. 16. — Ib. Gen. Rep. IX, 12. 



Occasionally specimens of this bird were seen during our expeJition, but of so wild a nature 

 as to baffle all attempts to procure it. It frequents the rocky and wooded portions of the 

 country or the broad open plains. Perched on some prominent rock whence it can survey a 

 large extent of country, it will suddenly, with almost unerring aim, dart through the air with 

 the swiftness of an arrow to seize upon its prey. On one occasion I saw this bird pursuing a 

 large hare, (Lepus townsendii,) at which it stooped several times, the hare barely escaping from 

 the falcon's talons by extraordinary exertions and bounds as the bird gained upon him. 

 Pursuer and pursued soon disappeared over the rolling ground, thus hiding from my sight the 

 final result of this exciting chase. On a previous visit to California, I obtained, near Sacra- 

 mento, three specimens, and saw a young unfledged one in San Francisco. I also procured one 

 of these birds on the Farrallone islands, where probably it had been wafted by the high 

 winds prevalent during winter. It cannot be considered a rare bird, although but few speci- 

 mens as yet enrich the naturalist's collection. 



HTP0TRI0RCHI8 COLUMBARIUS, Linn .—The Pigeon Hawk. 



Falco columbarius, Wilson, Amer. Ornith. vol. II, p. 107, pi. 15, fig. 3. — Aud. B. of A. Oct. vol. I, p. 88, pi. 21. — 

 Ib. B. of a. Fol. pi. 92.— DeKay, Nat. Hiet. N. Y. part I, p. 15, pi. 4, fig. 9.— Rich & Swains. Fau. 

 Bor. Amer. vol. II, p. 35. — Cassin, Gen. Rep. IX, 9. 



This species, not very common, is most generally met with on the wooded hill sides^ from 

 whence they start in search of their prey. On one occasion, perceiving one of these birds 

 apparently about to begin his repast on some luckless fowl held in his talons, I pursued him 

 so closely and with such success that, fatigued and terrified, he dropped his prey, which, 

 proving to be a very plump California partridge, I gratefully bagged. 



TINNUNCULUS SPARVERIUS, Linn .—The Sparrow Hawk. 



Tinnunculus sparverius, Vieill. Ois. Am. Sept. p. 40, pi. 12 and 13. 



Falco sparverius, Aud. B. of A. Oct. vol. I, p. 90, pi. 22.— Ib. B. of A. Fol. pi. 142.— Wilson, A. Ornith. vol. II, p. 117, 

 pi. 16, fig, 1.— Ib. vol. IV, p. 57, pi. 32, fig. 2.— Cassin, Gen. Rep. IX, 13. 



Abundant throughout the whole of California. 



