244 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



Geog. Dist. — North America, south to Chili ; breeding locally from Califor- 

 nia to Alaska and Labrador. 



County Records. — Androscoggin; (Pike). Cumberland; very rare tran- 

 sient, (Brown, C. B. P. p. 21) ; one in fall of 1898, (Lord) ; one observed at 

 Westbrook, March 14, 1901, (Norton, J. M. 0. S. 1901, p. 27). Franklin ; rare 

 migrant, (Sweet). Hancock; rare, I feel sure it breeds, (Knight). Oxford; 

 rare, breeds, (Nash). Penobscot; quite rare, it probably breeds in the 

 northern part of the county in the mountainous portion, (Knight). Saga- 

 dahoc ; common in October and occasionally seen the last of March and 

 through April, (Spinney). Washington ; not uncommon, breeds, (Boardman)- 



Along certain sections of the coast this species seems quite 

 general in migration during October, while elsewhere and at 

 other seasons it is decidedly rare. A few pair most certainly 

 breed in the more mountainous portions of the State, arriving 

 in April and leaving in October. They generally nest on 

 cliffs, making a nest of sticks, rather shallow as a rule, but in 

 some localities they have been recorded as nesting in cavities 

 in the top of broken off trees or even in old Hawk's nests in 

 trees. The same nest is reoccupied many seasons. 



The eggs are creamy white in ground color, but this is gen- 

 erally wholly obscured by spots, blotches, and dots of reddish 

 brown, chocolate and umber. Three to five, usually four are 

 laid and these measure on the average 2.10 x 1.60. 



This species or its near European relative was the species 

 used in the falconry sports of old. They are brave, audacious 

 and dashing, flying "like a bullet" after their prey which is 

 seized, even at the very feet of man where the prey may have 

 sought refuge. They feed on various game birds, small birds 

 and poultry, preferring Ducks, Grouse and other game birds 

 as a rule, but not disdaining rabbits and other small mammals. 



Subgenus ^SALON Kaup. 



257. Falco columharius Linn. Pigeon Hawk. 



Plumage of adults ; an interrupted rusty collar on neck ; primaries and tail 



barred with white, tail white tipped; otherwise above slaty blue; below 



ochraceous buff, streaked with dark except on throat. Immature plumage : 



primaries and tail barred with buffy or ochraceous and a broken collar of 



