FALCONID.E — THE FALCONS. 



173 



regular and continuous. Though in these respects so closely resembling the 

 young ^ of T. sparveroides, it may be distinguished from it by the sharp 

 definition of the black markings on the side of the head and on the wing- 

 coverts, and of the black bars on the inner webs of the primaries. We have 

 every reason to doubt whether this specimen was actually collected in Cuba, 

 since so many of the specimens in the Lafresnaye Collection are incorrectly 

 labelled as regards locality. 



A young ^ from Georgia, in the same collection, is somewhat similar, but 

 differs in the following respects. The rufous beneath is confined to the 

 breast, sides, and abdomen, but is as deep (i. e. only a shade or two lighter 

 than that on the back) ; the two outer pairs of tail-feathers are mostly ashy- 

 white, with large spots of black. 



LIST OF SPECIMENS EXAMINED. 



National Museum, 4 ; Boston Society, 2 ; Mus. Conip. ZooL, 3 ; Philadelphia Academy, 

 4 ; New York Museum, 2 ; G-. N. Lawrence, 4. Total, 19. 



Habits. The common Sparrow Hawk of America has an extended dis- 

 tribution throughout the greater portion of North America, although it was 

 not observed by Mr. 

 MacFarlane, nor by 

 any other collectors in 

 the higher Arctic re- 

 gions, nor was it met 

 with by Mr. Dall in 

 Alaska. ]\Ir. Kenni- 

 cott found it nesting 

 at Fort Resolution (lat. 

 62°), on Great Slave 

 Lake, and Mr. Clark 

 at Fort Eae. These 

 are the highest points 

 to which we have any 

 knowledge of its hav- 

 ing been traced. 



Sir John Richard- 

 son speaks of it as 

 abundant on the banks 

 of the Saskatchewan, in the neighborhood of Carlton House. It probably 

 breeds throughout North America, from Hudson's Bay to Mexico, and from 



Tinnimculus sparven'us. 



