PIGEON HAWK. 



109 



audacious bird, attacking and killing prey twice its own weight. Nev- 

 ertheless in some cases it seems to be tyrannized over by the much 

 weaker Marsh Hawk, as several writers have witnessed the latter bird 

 drive it from recently killed quarry. 



DESCRIPTION, 



First and second wing feathers equal and longest. 



Adult. — Top of head black, decidedly darker than back; chest 

 creamy buff, buffy white, or pure white, often unsi)otted, never very 

 heavily spotted with blackish. 



Immat lire. ^Ijower parts streaked with dusky. In Peale's falcon the 

 top of the head is dark slaty, uniform with back ; chest heavily spotted 

 with blackish. 



Length: 15.50 to 20 inches (393 to 508™™); extent, 38.50 to 42 inches 

 (978 to 1008™"); wing, 11.30 to 14.75 inches (286 to 374™'"); tail, 

 to 9 inches (152 to 228™™). 



Table showing the results of examinations of 20 stomachs of the Duck Hatvk 

 {Faico peregrinus anatum). 



Summary. — Of 20 stomachs examined, 7 contained poultry or game birds ; 9, other birds ; 1, mice ; 

 2, insects, and 4 were empty. 



PIGEON HAWK. 



Falco columbarius. 

 [Plate 16 — Immature.] 



The Pigeon Hawk inhabits the whole of North America from the Arctic 

 Ocean southward to the West Indies, Central America, and northern 

 South America. It breeds chiefly north of parallel 43°, though in the 

 mountains it extends south of this latitude, and in the mountains of 



