Bird Life of North Dakota 41 



the state collections. One in the Agricultural College Collection is from 

 r.ismarck; there is a mounted one in the Rough Riders' Hotel at Medora, 

 taken near there, and there is an immature bird in the Williams Collection, 

 taken April 5, 1921, at Olga, Cavalier County. We were told by Mr. Hal- 

 liday, a federal trapper, of a nest on an isolated butte near Medora. This 

 species is considered quite destructive to game birds, and also kills hares, 

 rabbits, and even young lambs, pigs and poultry. 



126. HaUaetus Icucocephaliis Iciicocephalus (Linnaeus). Bald Eagle, 



CouES, 1878, p. 627 ; frequent last week in. May, 1873, along the Red River from 

 Moorehead to Pembina. Several nests were noticed upon the tops of tall, isolated 

 trees; upon one of the nests the parent was observed sitting. Hoffman, 1882, p. 402; 

 occasional visitor in the vicinity of Fort Berthold. CouES, 1893, p. 265 ; April 10, 

 1805, Lewis and Clark shot bald eagles and saw many nests in tall cottonwoods near 

 Fort Berthold, and on April 12 shot one near the mouth of the Little Missouri. 

 CouES, 1897, p. 176; August 2, Owen climbed a tree to a white-headed eagle's nest 

 and drove a young one out, which was brought to Fort Union alive. It is remark- 

 able that the young should be in the nest at this late season. Judd, 1917, p. 18; not 

 common, breeds ; a young bird was taken from the nest in the Turtle Mountains in 

 1890; two were seen in iSg^. one of which was taken near Rock Lake. 



No live Inrds were seen, but I have examined a mounted bird, taken at 

 Medora, November, 1920. Captain Thomas Lonnevik took an immature 

 male, October 15, 192 1, at Devils Lake. This is in the Biological Station 

 Museum. There is an immature male in the collection of the Museum of 

 Zoology, taken by Henry Williams at Northwood, Nov. 25, 1913. 



The bald eagle lives principally on fish, either dead ones cast on shore 

 or upon those captured by other fish-eating birds. It is reported to feed 

 upon water fowl also. 



127. Falco riisticolus rusticolus Linnaeus. Gray Gyr falcon. 



Mr. Reid reports two specimens at Mandan, taken at Hazen, Mercer 

 County, March. 1919. 



There is one adult in the Williams Collection taken at Grafton, October 

 7, 1908. This species must be considered as an accidental visitant or strag- 

 gler in North Dakota. 



128. Falco mexicaniis Schlegel. Prairie Falcon. 



HaydEn, 1863, p. 152; along the Alissouri, though not abundant. Judd, 1917, p. 

 18; common, especially during August and September. The only species of hawk 

 seen taking poultry. Have seen them swoop down in the main street of the town 

 after their prey. 



The species may have been common some years ago, but I failed to find 

 it so during my work in the state. Mr. Alfred Eastgate tells me that it is 

 a coinmon migrant and breeds along the Mauvaise Coulee in Towner 

 County. On August 9, 1920, I noted a fine bird, the only one seen, on a 

 fence post near a small alkali lake, about five miles southwest of Bottineau, 



129. Falco pcrcgrinns anatum Bonaparte. Duck Hawk. 



CouES, 1897, p. 156; Audubon says he saw many peregrine falcons near Fort Clark, 

 Oliver County: p. 176; on August 2, Bell and Owen saw a peregrine falcon feeding 



