62 EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



regions, but more commonly north of the United States ; in 

 March in the more southern districts ; April, in New England ; 

 and in May in the Arctic regions. Nests placed on cliffs or 

 occasionally in trees. 



356a. Peal's Falcon, Falco peregrinus peulel. Eggs, in- 

 distinguishable from those of No. 356, and the nesting habits 

 are similar. Breeds in the Paciiic coast region of North 

 America, from Oregon to the Aleutian and Commander 

 Islands. 



357. Pigeon Hawk, Falco colmnhariiis. Eggs, 4 to 7, but 

 usually 5, rather spherical, varying hoxw creamy to deep pur- 

 plish rufous, thickly sprinkled, spotted, and blotched with 

 reddish brown of varying shades; 1.20 -|- 1.55 to 1.28 -\- 1.75. 

 Breeds in Northern North America, north of the United States, 

 as a rule, especially in the eastern portions, but ma}' nest in 

 the mountains south of its general range, in May. Nests placed 

 in trees, or rarely on cliffs. 



357a, Black Merlin, Falco colnmharius sucJdeyi. Eggs, 

 probably indistinguishable from those of No. 357, and the 

 nesting habits are similar. Breeds in the northwest coast 

 region of North America, from California to Sitka. 



358. Richardson's Merlin, Falco richardsonii. Eggs, 

 indistinguishable in form and color from those of No. 357, but 

 are ])robably larger. Breeds in the interior and western plains 

 of North America, from the Mississippi River to the Pacific 

 coast, north to the Arctic regions. 



358a. Merlin, Falco reguhis. Eggs, varying from oval to 

 spherical in form ; from creamy to reddish in color. sj>otte(1, 

 dotted, and blotched with reddish brown and umber, frequently 

 so thickly as to obscure the ground color; 1.62 -|- 1.22 to 1.65 

 -f- 1.25. Extralimital ; breeds in Europe. Bird accidental in 

 Greenland. See " Auk" for January, 1888, p. 395. 



359. Aplomado Falcon, Falco fusco-cmrulescens. Eggs, 

 2 to 4, rather spherical, white, thickly s])otted, sprinkled, and 

 blotched with reddish and Vandyke brown ; 1.63 -j- 1.78 to 



