THE P1JA1KIE FALCON. 289 



Pacific coast, where it seems to be fairly common in suitable localities through- 

 out Washington, Oregon, and California, I have no doubt that it crosses our 

 border into British Columbia, as I have found them breeding not. uncom- 

 monly on the Upper Columbia River, close to the boundary line. South it 

 extends through Arizona, New Mexico, Lower California, and northwestern 

 Texas into Mexico. It seems to be equally and possibly more abundant in 

 the central portions of its range, including portions of Colorado, Wyoming, 

 Montana, Utah, Nevada, and Idaho. 



It breeds in all the localities mentioned, but is only a summer resident in 

 the northern portions of its range, wintering east of the Rocky Mountains 

 from about latitude 37 southward. On the Pacific coast some of these Fal- 

 cons at least remain throughout the winter as far north as latitude 45 30', 

 where I have met with them at Fort Walla Walla, Washington, and also shot 

 an adult male on February 19, 1885, at Fort Custer, Montana, while the 

 weather was still intensely cold. 



Though on the whole perhaps more of a prairie-loving species, this Falcon 

 does not confine itself exclusively to open country, but inhabits and breeds in 

 the lower mountains as well ; sometimes even where heavily timbered. I have 

 repeatedly seen them during the breeding season in the Blue Mountains, near 

 Camp Harney, as well as in the Cascade Range, near Fort Klamath, Oregon, 

 where they nested in some of the numerous canons, and on inaccessible cliffs 

 abounding in these regions. 



In the latter part of May, 1879, while ascending the Upper Columbia 

 River in a steamer from Wallula to Priest's Rapids, Washington, which was 

 then the head of navigation, I noticed a nest of this Falcon in a small cavity 

 of a chalk bluff, rising perpendicularly for about 120 feet directly out of the 

 water. The nesting site was nearly midway up the bluff (called White Bluff), 

 and as the main channel ran along the foot of it, I had rather a good oppor- 

 tunity to examine it closely. 



In those days steamers seldom ascended the river so far, and the surround- 

 ing country was almost uninhabited, excepting here and there by small roving 

 bands of Indians. As we approached the bluff both the old Falcons circled 

 around above the nest, screaming loudly in a high key. Their alarm note 

 was a rapidly repeated "ked, ked, kee," and a sort of cackle. Standing on 

 the upper deck of the boat I could see the young plainly; there were certainly 

 four and possibly five of them, and they appeared to be sitting on the bare 

 ground. I saw but little nesting material lying about the outer edge of the 

 cavity, and this seemed to me to look more like scraps of refuse than anything 

 else. The cavity was rather shallow and not much moi-e than large enough to 

 hold the young. The site was practically inaccessible, excepting by rope from 

 above. The surrounding country was utterly devoid of trees and consisted of 

 open grass and sagebrush-covered table-lands. 



Landing at the foot of Priest's Rapids, the journey was continued to 

 Wenatchee on horseback along the north side, and from there on the south 

 26957 Bull. 1 19 



