THE DUCK HAWK— PEREGRINE. 7 



in any other, between the birds of the two continents, I believe 

 they are to-day regarded by our leading ornithologists as specifically 

 identical. To Prof. S. S. Haldeman, is due the credit of having 

 first made known, not only the tact of the Duck Hawk breeding 

 on cliffs, but also of its breeding in the United States. Perhaps 

 the most complete and instructive account yet published respecting 

 the nesting of the Peregrine Falcon is that by Allen, in the 

 Proceedings of the Essex Institute, (Vol. IV., page 153), wherein 

 he describes the eyrie on Mount Tom, Mass. In a subsequent 

 article in the American Naturalist (Vol. III., page 314) further 

 notes of interest on the same locality are given, and as I am per- 

 suaded that these articles have been read but b)^ few in Canada, I 

 close my history of the present species with an extract from the 

 last-named Journal. Allen says, referring to the eyrie on Mount 

 Tom : — 



" These eggs were the first eggs of the Duck Hawk known to naturalists to 

 have been obtained in the United States, the previous most southern locality whence 

 they had been taken being Labrador ; but the species had previously been observed 

 in the breeding season by Dr. S. S. Haldeman as far south as Harper's Ferry, 

 Virginia. One or more pairs of these birds have been seen about Mounts Tom 

 and Holyoke every season since the first discovery of the eggs at the former locality 

 in 1864. Mr. W. C. Bennett, of Holyoke, their discoverer, has since carefully 

 watched them, and his frequent laborious researches for their nest have been well 

 rewarded. In 1866, he took a second set of eggs, three in number, from the eyrie 

 previously occupied. In 1867, the male bird was killed late in April, and this 

 apparently prevented their breeding there that year, as they probably otherwise 

 would have done. At least no nest was that year discovered. In 1868, hawks of 

 this species were seen about the mountains, and although they reared their young 

 there, all eftbrt to discover their nest was ineft'ectual. The present year (1869), 

 they commenced to lay in the old nesting place, but as they were robbed when but 

 one egg had been deposited, they deserted it and chose a site still more inaccessi- 

 ble. Here, they were equally unfortunate, for during a visit to this mountain, in 

 company with Mr. Bennett (April 28th), we had the great pleasure of discovering 

 their second eyrie, and from which, with considerable 'difficulty, three freshly-laid 

 eggs were obtained. Not discouraged by this second misfortune they nested again, 

 this time depositing their eggs in the old eyrie from which all except the last set of 

 eggs have been obtained. Again they were unfortunate, Mr. Bennett removing 

 their second set of eggs, three in number, May 23rd, at which time incubation had 



believed to have a nearly cosmopolitan distribution, but since then the Australian and other supposed 

 species have been separated from it on grounds that it now seems should be reconsidered. (Bulletin 

 of the Mus. Comp. Zoo., Vol. II., page 317. Allen.) 



