160 ALLEN, NOTES ON 



smaller end considerably elongated. It will be observed 

 that the egg measured by Dr. Brewer is considerably 

 smaller than my smallest specimen, and that the propor- 

 tion of breadth to length scarcely differs from the same 

 proportion in No. 1. 



In comparing the eggs of the American and the Euro- 

 pean Peregrine Falcons, Dr. Brewer, .observes: "It [the 

 American] closely resembles a variety of the eggs of the 

 European species, but seems to present differences suffi- 

 ciently well marked to be regarded as specific. * * * * The 

 ground colors of both American and European are a 

 reddish-yellow, and both are thickly covered with fine 

 dottings of chocolate and ferruginous-brown, diffused over 

 the whole egg, in nearly equal degree, and to such an' 

 extent as nearly to conceal the ground. The length of the 

 American egg is slightly less, but it is of equal or greater 

 capacity, and varies in its markings from all the European 

 specimens that I have ever met with. These variations, 

 though readily traceable by the eye, are not so easily de- 

 scribed. The shades of coloring in both are closely alike ; 

 the variation consists more in the distribution of these 

 markings. In the European specimens, the fine markings 

 of chocolate are distributed with nearly exact uniformity. 

 In the American, the secondary colorings are now more 

 thickly and now more thinly diffused, here leaving the 

 ground color nearly unchanged, there becoming confluent 

 and blending into waving lines, blotches and bold dashes. 

 The egg in consequence, presents a more varied appear- 

 ance. These markings are also in greater proportion 

 around the larger end of the egg, and the blotches are of 

 a deeper shade, so there is a variation in the shading 

 between the smaller and larger extremities not noticeable 

 in any European egg that I have met with." 



The amount of variation presented by the eggs of the 

 Duck Hawk described above, shows that but little depen- 

 dence can be placed on the eggs in deciding specific dif- 

 ferences. The eggs mentioned by Dr. Brewer, are not 

 much different from those of the true European Peregrine. 

 One or two of the specimens before me considerably 

 resemble Dr. Brewer's, and likewise eggs of the European 

 species as figured and described by authors, while the 

 others are very different, one being remarkably so. 



