FALCONS 245 



same on neck ; tail light tipped ; otherwise fuscous above ; buff prevailing 

 below, streaked with dark. Wing of female 8.00 to 8.50 ; wing of male 7.50 

 to 8.00 ; tarsus of male 1.35 ; tarsus of female 1.55. 



Geog. Dist. — North America, breeding from the northern tier of states 

 northward ; winters from the southern tier of states to the West Indies and 

 South America. 



County Records. — Androscoggin; summer, (Johnson). Cumberland; not 

 common, (Mead); common migrant near Portland, (Lord); one shot at 

 Westbrook December 1, 1906, a male, (Norton, J. M. 0. S. 1907, p. 9) ; a 

 female shot at Scarboro, Feb. 22, 1907, (Norton, 1. c). Franklin ; rare summer 

 resident, a specimen was shot here in June, (Swain); rare migrant, (Sweet). 

 Hancock; rare summer resident, breeds, (Knight). Kennebec; rare, (Gardi- 

 ner Branch). Knox; migrant, (Rackliff). Oxford; rare summer resident, 

 (Nash). Penobscot; though quite frequent in spring and fall a few also 

 remain through the summer, especially in the northern county, (Knight). 

 Piscataquis ; not uncommon, (Homer). Sagadahoc; abundant in fall, a few 

 in spring, (Spinney). Somerset ; a few breed in the wilder sections, (Knight). 

 Waldo; quite frequent in fall, I feel sure that a few breed, (Knight). Wash- 

 ington; not uncommon summer resident, (Boardman). York; (Adams). 



The first migrants arrive about April fifth to tenth and the 

 bulk slightly later on, while the last fall stragglers generally 

 have left by October tenth, the bulk somewhat earlier. The 

 records given by Mr. Norton indicate that occasional individ- 

 uals may winter. The species is in greater numbers during 

 the fall migration than at other seasons, and is then generally 

 found throughout the State. 



As a breeding bird it is confined to the Canadian fauna, and 

 while the eggs have not been found in the State, young birds 

 have been seen which were unable to fly, evidently just out of 

 the nest, and during June the parents have been observed in a 

 great state of excitement though the nests could not be located. 

 I have had them both swoop down at me, uttering an angry 

 "cac, cac, cac, cac, cac" varied by a shrill piercing "ki-e-e-e-e-e-" 

 and exhibit every indication of trying to protect a nest which 

 could not be located. 



According to the reports of persons who have found the 

 nests elsewhere, they nest in holes in trees and stubs, occasion- 

 ally on cliffs and sometimes in deserted Crow's nests or in nests 

 in trees which are built by the birds themselves. 



