FALCONID.E — THE FALCONS. 



247 



Hab. Middle America (from coast to coast), from Costa Rica and Guatemala to 

 southern border of United States. Arizona, breeding (Bendire). Southern Illinois 

 (Richland Co.) June (Ridgway). 



LIST OF SPECIMENS EXAMINED. 



National Museum, 13; Philadelphia Academy, 3; Boston Society, 5; Cab. G. N. 

 Lawrence, 1 ; R. Ridgway, 2. Total, 24. 



Measurements. 



Habits. This is a Mexican and Central American Hawk, which occa- 

 sionally crosses the borders of the United States, having been seen by Mr. 

 Ridgway in Southern Illinois, 

 and found breeding, by Captain 

 Bendire, in Arizona, near Tucson. 

 It lias been found in the State of 

 New Leon, one of the most north- 

 ern })rovinces of Mexico, by Lieu- 

 tenant Couch, who ha-s, however, 

 supplied no notes as to any pecu- 

 liarities in its habits. It was said 

 to breed in the tops of lofty 

 trees, and to have egu's of a 



greenish-white, resembling those 

 of Asfur atricapillus. In Cen- 

 tral America it is said by Sal- 

 vin to be abundant in the hot 

 country on both coast regions of 

 the Republic of Guatemala, but it is not found in the temperate regions. Its 

 food consists of lizards, and its flesh is in consequence very rank. 



]\Ir. Robert Ridgway has met with this Hawk as far to the north as South- 

 ern Illinois. It was seen and twice shot at on the 19th of August, 1871, on 

 Fox Prairie, in Richland County. Mr. Ridgway came across it while hunt- 

 ing Swallow-tail and Mississippi Kites. The bird, while being annoyed by 

 these Hawks, was well seen, and there cannot be the slightest doubt as to its 

 identity. 



Mr. Robert Owen found this Hawk, known in Guatemala by the local 

 name of Gavilan, a common name for the Avhole race of birds of prey, breed- 

 ing at San Geronimo, April 3, 1860. The nests are usually found in the 

 high trees which are scattered over the plain, and not unfrequently within 

 a few yards of the Indian ranclios. Two eggs seemed to be the comple- 

 ment laid by one bird. These eggs are described by Mr. Owen as all 



Asturina plna:iata. 



