228 Mr. W. E. Brooks on Richardson's Merlin. 



one of our collectors took four sets of eggs in a single season. 

 Nevertheless good skins are very hard to obtain. My way 

 has been to buy all the ' Pigeon-Havvks ' I could get from 

 the central regions of the U. S., and take my chance of 

 getting a F, richardsoni now and then among the common 

 forms. Few field- collectors distinguish between the two 

 species.^' 



Mr. Brewster was right, for my first attempt was rewarded 

 with a pale female F. columbarius ; but in other cases a draw- 

 ing of the central tail-feather of F. richardsoni prevented the 

 arrival of more of that species. I had also three examples 

 sent me by a friend for examination as " F. richardsoni/' but 

 they were merely large specimens of F. columbarius, a little 

 weathered. In these three I noticed a variation in the 

 number of tail-bars. No. 1 had three light bars and the 

 tip ; No. 2 four light bars and the tip ; while No. 3 had 

 five light bars and the tip, or the regulation number for 

 F. richardsoni ! But the tail-bars in F. columbarius are small 

 and indistinct compared with those of the other bird, and 

 have more of an oval spot at each side of the shaft. Then the 

 whole coloration and general aspect of the three were de- 

 cidedly as in F. columbai'ius, and not one of the specimens 

 showed any nuchal collar. They were far too large, as well 

 as much too dai^k, both on upper and under surfaces. Their 

 first few primaries also had not any spots on their outer 

 webs. This latter distinction my son Allan pointed out to 

 me as the characteristic distinction, and I think he is right. 

 But when once the general appearance of the little Hawk is 

 understood, I think it would always be easy to separate it 

 from F. columbarius, or anything else, apart from bars and 

 wing-spots. 



With the exception of the extract fi'om Mr. Brewster's 

 letter, I have not seen any other notice of its breeding. 



[Mr. Brooks's specimens, from which the accompanying 

 figures (Plate V.) have been taken, are now in the British 

 Museum. — Edd.] 



