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216 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



charge of Henry Conolly, Esq., from whom were received some valuable 

 meteorological statistics. On the 15th of August the vessel left Esquimaux 

 Bay, and proceeded to Henley Harbor, at the northern entrance to the Straits 

 of Belle-Isle. At that date the smaller waders generally had commenced their 

 southern migration, and during two weeks spent there, which completed my 

 stay on the coast, specimens of most of them were procured. 



In the j)reparation of the following pages, I have not attempted to present 

 the synonymy of the species, nor their diagnoses. To do so would be but to 

 repeat what may be found in full in the General Report on Birds, by Baird, 

 Cassin and Laurence, (vol. ix. P. R. R. Exp. and Surv. ) Reference is there- 

 fore made to the jiages of this work ; and also to Audubon's Birds of America, 

 the standard autliority on the habits of the birds, where the further history of 

 each species will be found fully elucidated. The names and authorities 

 adopted are strictly those of the General Report, except in a few cases where 

 some change appeared necessary, from the characters of the birds entitling 

 them to full generic rank. 



Falco (Hypotriorchis) columbarios Linn. — Pidgeon Hawk. " Sparrow Hawk." 



Falco columbarius, And., Birds Amer. vol. i. page 88, pi. 21. 

 Falco {Hypotriorchis) columbarius, Cassin, Gen. Rep. page 9. 



The Pidgeon-hawk I met with on but two occasions. On the 5th of August, 

 while on a small rocky island in Groswater Bay, one was seen circling in the 

 air at a moderate height, and constantly uttering its loud harsh cries ; but 

 owing to its watchfulness, I could not secure it. On the 25th of the same 

 mouth, at Henley Harbor, another individual was seen, foraging among the 

 immense flocks of Curlews, (Numenius borealis), which then covered the hills 

 in the vicinity. The Pidgeon-hawk is occasionally stuffed and offered for sale 

 by the natives ; and from their accounts I should judge it to be not at all rare. 

 It is known to them as the " Sparrow-hawk," by which name, however, they 

 also designate the F. sparverius. 



On the return voyage, when more than a hundred miles from any land, a 

 Pidgeon-hawk made its appearance, and after circling about for some time, to 

 select the safest place on which to alight, at length settled on the outermost 

 bowsprit rigging, apparently quite exhausted. Yet even in this worn-out con- 

 dition so watchful was it, that on my levelling a glass at it, it instantly took 

 flight and disappeared. 



Falco (Tinnunculus) sparverids Linn. — Sparrow Hawk. 

 Falco sparverius, Aud., Birds Amer. vol. i. p. 90, pi. 22. 

 Falco {Tinnunculus) sparverius, Cassin, Gen. Rep. p. 13. 



But a single individual of this species, so abundant in most portions of the 

 United States, was observed during my stay in Labrador. On the 10th of 

 September, however, while in the Gulf of St. Laurence, off the Isle of Cape 

 Breton, several were seen during the day. They circled quite closely around 

 the vessel, showing but little fear. 



? Falco (Hierofalco) Islandicus Gmelin, — Gyr Falcon, " Speckled Hawk," 



f Falco Islandicus, And., Birds Amer, i, 81, pi. 19. 

 ? Falco {Hierofalco) Islandicus, Cassin, Gen. Rep. 13. 



I had not the good fortune to obtain, or even meet with, either species of 

 Gyr Falcon. The hunters with whom I conversed on the subject, said that 

 they were seldom seen in the summer, but that they become more abundant 

 in the autumn and winter. They were represented as at all times very shy 

 and difficult to procure, frequenting the highest and most inaccessible crags, 

 and subsisting mainly on Grouse and Ptarmigan. I could not, of course, de- 

 termine from these accounts whether F. Islandicus or candicans was referred 



[Aug, 



