BIRDS OF KANSAS. 281 



tinct, the ground color of the lower parts light ochraceous or creamy buff; 

 (Ridgway.) 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. Cere. 



Male 17.00 39.50 12.00 7.25 2.00 .70 .22 



Female... 18.50 43.00 13.50 8.20 2.10 .85 .22 



Iris brown; bill horn blue, with base of lower yellow; legs, 

 feet and lores yellow; claws black. 



This species inhabits the open prairies. A brave dashing 

 bird, that in spirit is unsurpassed, except it be by the Gyrfalcons. 

 It is rather wild and solitary. In flight it progresses swiftly, by 

 quick, powerful strokes of its wings; often stopping in its flight 

 to hover as it sights its prey beneath, descending upon the same 

 with partially-closed wings, swift as an arrow; or gives chase, 

 turning and tacking easily and with a speed that the swiftest of 

 flyers cannot escape. The birds are often seen perched upon a 

 knoll, lone tree, or telegraph pole. In alighting upon any high 

 object, they swoop down nearly to the ground, and then grace- 

 fully ascend to the top or desired height. They often attack 

 game much larger than themselves, killing with ease jack rab- 

 bits, Ducks, Prairie Hens, etc. They are very destructive to 

 the smaller birds, especially those that go in flocks. I saw one 

 dart from a telegraph pole into a flock of chestnut-colored Long- 

 spurs, and knock down four of the birds at a single dash, killing 

 three and winging the other. (As he returned to pick up the 

 slain, I dropped him beside them.) They also feed largely 

 upon ground squirrels, mice, lizards, etc. 



Their nests are usually placed on the sides of steep, rocky 

 cliffs, made rudely of sticks and lined with grasses. Eggs two 

 to five. In Capt. B. F. Goss's collection are two eggs taken 

 April 28th, 1880, at Marysville, Mo., from a nest in a tree, thirty- 

 five feet from the ground; notes fail to show whether the nest 

 was in the forks of the branches or in a hole in the tree, but 

 doubtless in the latter, as the habits of these birds are similar to 

 F. peregrinus anatwn; dimensions of the eggs, 2.05x1.70, 2.12 

 xl.65; grayish white, spotted and blotched with various shades 

 of reddish brown, running together so as to obscure the ground 

 color of one of the eggs, and partially of the other; in form, 

 rounded oval. 



