236 GENUS FALCO. 



This species is said to build on the top of high trees and 

 the nest resembles that of the crow. The eggs are from 

 four to six, greenish white with blotches of brown at the 

 larger end. Both parents take part in the labors of incu- 

 bation. The young have the distinct black and white 

 markings of the parents the first year. 



This Hawk is migratory, and leaves the United States in 

 September for the lands South of the Gulf of Mexico, 

 returning in the spring. They are much more plentiful in 

 the Southern States than in the Northern, and are not 

 found in the Eastern at all. 



The head, neck, breast and abdomen are white. The rest 

 of the body black, with metalic purplish reflections. The 

 feet greenish blue, with flesh colored claws; bill bluish 

 black; cere light blue; iris black. Both sexes alike, but 

 the male rather smaller. Length of female 23 to 25 inches ; 

 wing 16 to ITi; tail 14 inches. 



There is a very fine specimen in the Cabinet of Prof. 

 Kirtland. 



Genus Falco, Linn. 



Form robust and powerful; wings long and pointed, 

 capable of rapid and vigorous flight; tail rather long; bill 

 short, upper mandible curved, and with a distinct tooth; 

 nostrils circular, with a central tubercle; tarsi short and 

 robust, covered with hexagonal or round scales ; middle 

 toe long; claws large, curved and very sharp. 



This genus is spread over a considerable portion of the 

 world. There are three species indiginous to the United 



