240 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



occasionally, but rarely, five. They are nearly spherical, 

 almost equally symmetrical at the extremities, and have a 

 granulated surface. The ground-color is a uniform dull 

 white, which is sometimes tinned with bluish. Their aver- 

 age measurement is 1.0,3 inches in length, and 1.^4 in width. 



Falco communis, Gm. 



The Peregine Falcon is now much better known than for- 

 merly. As late as 1857, Dr. Brewer had, received but a 

 single authentic instance of its breeding in the United 

 States. It is now known to breed in divers parts of the 

 countrv. Mr. Allen, with the assistance of Dr. \V. Wood 

 and Mr. C. \\ . Beivnett, has elaborated quite conspicuously 

 its history, and has established the important fact of its 

 breeding in a few of the mountains in the Connecticut River 

 Valley, and adjacent thereto. Mr. Boardman gives it as a 

 resident species on the island of Grand Menan. It has been 

 found breeding on Talcott Mountain near Hartford, and on 

 Mt. Tom near Springfield. Massachusetts. Prof. Halde- 

 man discovered it breeding near Columbia, Pennsylvania, 

 on a cliff along the Susquehanna river, and it is probable 

 that it nests in the vicinity of Harper's Ferry. As high as 

 latitude 65 north, it is supposed to breed. Mr. Macfarlane 

 found it to be a rather common species on the banks of An- 

 derson and Lockhart Rivers in the Arctic regions, where 

 it was breeding. Others have found it in high northern 

 latitudes. In the West Indies, in Central and .South 

 America, it most likely occurs both as a migrant and a res- 

 ident, according to the testimony of various writers. 



In Eastern Pennsylvania, it is a very rare species, and 

 breeds only in occasional instances. Perhaps a more careful 

 and thorough exploration of our numerous river banks, and 

 the summits of many of our numerous mountain ridges, 

 would reveal the fact that it breeds in larger numbers than 

 is at present allowed. Its habits do not differ in any essen- 

 tial particulars from those of the more familiar I^alco com- 



