FALCONID^ — THE FALCONS. 



269 



as having a greenish-white color, with a few large dark brown blotches at 

 the larger end. It was seen by the doctor as far to the north as the 57th 

 parallel. 



Mr. Audubon's drawing and description of this bird were taken from a 

 specimen obtained by Dr. Townsend from the Columbia Eiver. A number 

 of specimens have been obtained 

 by the various government ex- 

 ploring expeditions. A single 

 specimen was taken by Mr. Dres- 

 ser near San Antonio, in Texas. 



Captain Blakistou (Ibis, 1861, 

 p. 317) obtained several speci- 

 mens of tliis Buzzard at the forks 

 of the Saskatchewan Eiver, in the 

 stomach of one of which he found 

 three toads. He states that it 

 was quite abundant in that neigh- 

 borhood. He adds that Mr. Bour- 

 geau procured several specimens 

 of the eggs, identified by also ob- 

 taining the parents. These eggs 

 are said to have been white, more 

 or less blotched with red. Mr. 

 Bernard Eoss also obtained this 

 bird oil the Mackenzie Eiver, 

 where it was rare. 



This Hawk was observed by Mr. Dall, in Alaska, a skin having been 

 obtained at Koyukuk, May 26, from an Indian. Mr. Dall states that 

 it prefers the thickets and woody places, is not so often seen as some 

 of the other species. It generally builds a very large nest of sticks, and 

 begins to lay about the last of April. The young are hatched out about the 

 30th of May. It was only a summer A'isitor. He found not only the bones 

 of rabbits, squirrels, and mice about its nest, but also those of ducks, and in 

 one instance part of a white-fish. 



Dr. Heermann obtained an egg of this species in Northern California, 

 which liad a yellowish-white ground-color, marked with obscure cloudings 

 of a purplish-gray, and irregular patches of a light tone of umber brown. 

 It measured 2.31 inches in length, and 1.84 in breadth. 



We are indebted to Dr. W. J. Hoffmann for the following interesting note 

 in relation to the nesting of this species : " On the 28th of May, 1871, we en- 

 camped on Antelope Creek, forty miles north of the Central Pacific Eailroad 

 Station, Argenta, Nevada. The stream of water, which is small, is fringed 

 with willows, averaging about twelve feet in height. Strolling along the 

 underbrush, I came to the nest of the Buteo swainsoni, which was built on 



BiiUo swainsoni (adult). 



