254 COUES, BIRDS or NEW ENGLAND. 



Cathartes atratus Less. Black Vulture. Carrion Crow. 

 Entirely accidental. (Swampscott, Nov. 1850, S. Jillson, 

 quoted by Putn., p. 223. Gloucester, Sept. 28, 1863, 

 Verritt, quoted by AIL, p. 81. Brew. Ool., p. 5. 

 Omitted from Sam. 0. 0.) 



FALCONID^E. 



Falco anatum* Bon. American Peregrine Falcon. 

 Duck Hawk. Resident and generally distributed, though 

 nowhere very abundant. Chiefly a winter visitant in 

 more southern localities, though known to breed in Mass. 

 and Ct. (Near Springfield, Mass., C. W. Bennett, quoted 

 by AIL, p. 50. Near Hartford, Ct., W. Wood, in Hartf. 

 "Times," June 24, 1861.) Regularly breeds in various 

 portions of Maine. 



It is very questionable whether this bird be more than a 

 geographical race or variety of the Old World F. peri- 

 gt'inus. Numerous other forms (among them F. nigriceps 

 Cass., from western North America), from various parts 

 of the world, are known to exist, all of which are inti- 

 mately related to the European bird. 



No. 11, $, adult. Off Bermuda, Capt. George Upton, Oct. 29, 1849. 



Falco sacer Forster. Jerfalcon or Gyrfulcon. " White " 

 or "Speckled" Hawk. Rare winter visitant; and only 

 accidental as far south as Mass. I cannot find an authen- 

 tic instance of its breeding in New England. (Norway, 

 Me., "not uncommon;" Verr., p. 4. Mass., Peab., p. 

 260. Sekonk Plains, Mass., Jillson, quoted by Putn., p. 

 226, and by the other State authorities. Omitted from 

 Sam. 0. O.) 



The Jerfalcon which visits New England is variously 

 given as " Islandicus" or " candicans." I do not know 

 which is really the proper name, nor whether more than 

 one species be found. I believe it is still an open ques- 

 tion among ornithologists, whether these two names do 

 not refer to the same species ; or in other words whether 

 there is really more than a single valid species of Jer- 



*For so'me exceedingly interesting information upon the habits and 

 especially the nidiflcation of this Hawk, see Allen, Pr. E. I., 1865, p. 153. 



