570 ORNITnOLOGT. 



about this immense pyramidal rock, and from the zeah:)us manner in which he 

 drove away every intnider not to ]ii.s liking, we concluded the female must 

 be sitting on her eggs or young. The Pyramid was ascended, however, 

 to the very summit, but the nest was not found ; but this w\as not strange, 

 since but one of the throe corners of the rock was accessible, while to 

 diverge to either side from the exceedingly difficult path by which we 

 ascended would have been impossible. The location of the nest was after- 

 ward definitely ascertained by noticing the male alight on a narrow ledge 

 near the top of one of the vertical sides, about one hundred and fifty feet 

 above the water. A few moments later he was again observed flying 

 around, and while we were watching him he discovered among the rocks 

 a large Horned Owl (Bubo suharctkus) which he immediately dislodged and 

 followed a considerable distance along the shore, uttering a whistling note 

 at each assault. The single specimeu in our collection was killed under 

 tlio iollowing circumstances: Having sat down on a log by the edge of the 

 river to rest, as well as to observe the movements of a Killdeer Plover 

 (JEffialitis vodfems) which was running back and forth over the gravelly bar 

 forming the opposite shore, we saw the Killdeer suddenly squat and then 

 dodge, and at the same time saw the Falcon check itself in its fliglit, after 

 having missed its aim. Whether its lack of success was caused by the 

 nimbleness of the intended quarry, or whether the Falcon saw us just as 

 it was about to strike, we know not ; but after suddenly checking itself it 

 wheeled immediately about, and would have soon disappeared had we not 

 fired before it got out f>f range. At the report of our gun, another one, 

 l)rol)ably the mate of our victim, flew from a cotton-wood tree in the direc- 

 tion from wliich he came. 



Lkl of specimens. 



W2,iju>\; Bis- Biiuil of tlic Tnickee, Nevada, July 2.1, l.Sr)7. lG^—?>9\—\2^^~ 

 10— ij}— 1«— Gi— 3g. Weight U pounds. Basal half of the bill, pale bluish-white, 

 tenniiial portion slate, deepening into black at end; cere, bluish-white, bare orbital 

 Rjiace greenish while; iris, vivid brownish black ; tarsi and toes, lemon jellow, with a 

 faint greenish tinge; claws, jet black. 



