150 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



west coast region; very light — the light markings extended and multiplied 

 — in the middle region ; and intermediate in the Atlantic region. 



Habits. The distribution of the well-known Pigeon Hawk is very nearly 

 coextensive with the whole of North America. It is found in the l)ieed- 

 ing-season as far to tlie north as Fort Anderson, on the Anderson and Mc- 

 Kenzie rivers, ranging even to the Arctic coast. Specimens were taken Ijy 

 Mr. Eoss at Lapierre House and at Fort Good Hope. Several specimens 

 were taken by Mr. Dall at Nulato, where, he states, it is found all the year 

 round. Tliey were also taken by Bischoff at Kodiak. During the breeding- 

 season it is found as far south as Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the 

 northern portions of Maine, and probably Vermont and New York. It is 

 abundant on the Pacific coast. 



In the winter months it is to be met with throughout the more temperate 

 portions of North America, in Mexico, Central America, and Northern South 

 America. Dr. Woodhouse mentions finding this species \evj abundant es- 

 pecially among the wooded banks of watercourses throughout Texas, New 

 Mexico, and the Indian Territory. 



Mr. March states that this Hawk is a permanent resident in the island 

 of Jamaica, more frequently found among the hills than on the plains, and 

 has been known to breed there. It is a visitant of Cuba. Dr. Cooper thinks 

 they are not very common in Washington Territory, thougli, as they are 

 found there throughout the summer, they undoubtedly breed there. In Au- 

 gust, 1855, Dr. Cooper shot one of a small family of young that had but 

 recently left their nest. They migrate southward in winter, and are abun- 

 dant in California in October and November. 



Dr. Suckley found them abundant about Fort Steilacoom early in August. 

 Near Puget Sound this species is thought to breed in the recesses of the 

 Cascade Mountains, only coming down upon the open plains late in the 

 summer. Dr. Newberry found it paired and nesting about the Klamath 

 Lakes, and states that it also occupies all the region south of the Columbia, 

 in Oregon. Mr. Dresser states that he found tliis Falcon common about 

 Bexar and the adjoining counties during the entire year, and that they occa- 

 sionally breed near the Medina River. I have been unable to find any 

 satisfactory evidence that this Hawk ever breeds in any part of Massachu- 

 setts, or anywhere south of the 44th parallel in the Eastern States, except, 

 perhaps, in mountainous regions. 



This Hawk is remarkable for its rapid flight, and its courage and its enter- 

 prise in attacking birds as large as or even larger than itself, though generally 

 it only preys upon smaller birds, such as Grakles, Red-winged Blackbirds, 

 Robins, and Pigeons. Dr. Cooper states tliat having been attracted by an 

 unusual screaming of some bird close to the house, he was surprised to find 

 that one of these Hawks had just seized upon a Flicker, a bird as large as 

 itself, the weight of which had brought it to tlie ground, and which it 

 continued to hold in its claws even after it had been mortally wounded. 



