250 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
Seen from 6th to 20th September, 1884, flying south at Prince 
of Wales Sound, Hudson Strait. (Payne.) Taken at Fort 
Churchill, west side of Hudson Bay. (Clarke.) York Factory, 
Hudson Bay. (Dr. R. Bell.) One specimen taken at Disco, 
Greenland, 1891. (W2ztmer Stone.) 
Throughout all Alaska, from the Aleutian Islands north, both 
along the coast and through the interior, extending from Behring 
Strait across the northern portion of British America, the 
present falcon is the commonest bird of prey. It frequents the 
vicinity of cliffs and rocky points about the sea coast, or the 
rocky ravines of the interior during the breeding season, and the 
remainder of the year, especially in the fall, it is found wandering 
over the country everywhere that food can be obtained. (/Ve/son.) 
Several specimens of this gyrfalcon were obtained in the vicinity of 
St. Michael, where it is a constant resident, with probably excep- 
tions during protracted periods of very severe weather. The 
natives assert that this bird breeds on the high hills, either on a 
rocky ledge or on the moss-covered ground. (Zurner.) The 
only hawk obtained at Point Barrow was of this variety. Hawks 
were seen in 1882 and 1883, but were always very wild and diffi- 
cult to approach. (M@Murdoch.) Observed numerous individuals 
along the Kowak, Kotzebue Sound, Alaska, during 1899. (Grennell.) 
Two specimens taken at Point Barrow, Arctic Sea, Alaska, 
September, 1897. (Witmer Stone.) A regular though scarce 
fall and spring visitor at Chilliwack. (Bvooks.) 
BREEDING Notes.—This gyrfalcon is common in the wooded 
country on both sides of the Anderson River. Over 20 nests 
were secured, and with only two exceptions which were built one 
on a ledge of rocks and the other against the side of a deep ravine, 
they were found close to or near the top of the tallest trees in the 
neighbourhood. They are similar in composition, but smaller in 
size than those of the bald eagle ; and while the number of eggs 
was either three or four, their contents were frequently found 
in different stages of development. The earliest date for finding 
a nest was May ioth. The eggs were quite fresh, though one 
taken five days later contained partially formed embryos. In a 
few cases young birds were in the same nest along with the eggs, 
the contents of which were but little changed, and in another an 
egg perfectly fresh was found with several ready to hatch. This 
falcon is supposed to be a “ winterer” in the northern parts of 
V 
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