FALCO COMMUN1S. 299 



These handsome birds do not usually hover, like the Sparrow Hawk, when hunting but 

 course rapidly along and pounce upon their victim without giving it an instance's warning 

 of their presence; tints they appear to capture their prey with great certainty. Their cry, 

 when moving, is shrill and loud but different from the well-known rattle of the Sparrow 

 Hawk. 



Although these Hawks usually breed considerably north of Massachusetts, I am con- 

 fident that the eggs will yet be taken in the state, for I once had a female which was shot 

 (luring the breeding season, early in June, and which exhibited every mark of incubation, 

 while other instances of a similar nature have come to my knowledge. As remarked, 

 however, the Pigeon Hawks occur with us, more abundantly during the autumnal migra- 

 tion than at. any other season, although they are tolerably common in spring. 



FALCO COMMUNIS. 



Peregrine Falcon. 

 Falco armmunis Gx., Syst. Nat.. I; 1788, 270. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. CH. Form, robust. Size, large. Sternum, stout, rather narrow, with the marginal indentations quite large. 

 Tongue Unhurt, thick, quite fleshy, about the same width for nearly its entire length, horny ftt tip, where it is round- 

 ed, bifid, and grooved beneath. Tail, slightly rounded, with the feathers somewhat acuminate. Wings, with only ono 

 uut.-r .j'.iiil inched. Tarsus, slightly feathered in front. Caeca, present hut very small . 



IR, Adult male. Above, including upper wing covert-*, secondaries, ond upper tail coverts, dark bluish-slate, 

 transversely banded with dark-brown which becomes lighter on the rump. .Primaries and tail, dark-brown, the Conner hand- 

 ed on wttoa with >vll.iwish-wliite; the latter tipped and banded with ashy-yellow. Under parts, including ^ides of 

 under wing coverts, under tail covert 8 , nnd tibia, yellowish-white, spotted on the breast and abdomen, nnd tran<- 



nded on the remaining portions with black. There is also a black patch on the cheeks. Forehead, white. 

 Advil f email, t^uite similar to the male in general coloration but darker above, and tinted below with buff. In the 

 adult tui.'es, the feet arc yellow and the cere, green. 



Ynitiii/. Much 1 TO wner above than in the adult female. The under parts are tinged with reddish and longitudinal- 



ikc.l with dark-brown. The cheek patches are broader and the wing feathers are tipped with yellowish-white. 

 lav nr. Show no trace* of ashy above, and the top of the head is overwashcd with yellowish-rufoii 



pccialiy on the forehead and occiput. There is a line of reddish extending over the eye, while every feather above is cdgei 

 i! is tipped with white, barred on inner webs with deep rufous and the same color pervades below. The 

 under tail nerts arc barred. 



Nestlingg. Are at first covered with white down, then gradually assume the plumage last described. In this and the 

 last two ~t:iges, the cere is dark-green and the feet, blue. Bill, black, blue at base, and iris brown, in all stages. . 



OBSERVATIONS. 



men* of the same age exhibit the usual amount of variation regarding intensity of color, size of spots, width of 

 band-, etc., but the specie* may be known at once by the large size, dark cheek patch, and other colors a* dc-cn'."d. l)i-- 

 tri! in. 1. as a -mum.-!- resident, among the mountains or along rocky sea-boards, throughout Eastern North America, above 

 Winters in the more Southern portions. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Avc: irements of male specimens from Eastern United States. Length, 17-50; stretch, 38-50; wing, 1 t'25; 



tail. 7 -J.~>: bill. ?,'; tar-u*, I ?.>. Longe t specimen, IH'OO; greatest extent of wing, 3!'00; longest wing, 1 1-50; tail, 7 5(1; 

 7.'); tar-us 1 75. Shortcut specimen, 17'00; smallest extent of wing, 38-00; shortest wing, IMMJ; tail, 7'00; bill, '70; 

 tarsus, 1-7O. 



iicaMirement* of female specimen-; from Eastern United States. Length, 1!HIO; stretch, 41-00; wing, 15-00; 

 tail, 7 75: bill, -7*; tarsus 1'7S. Longest specimen, 20'00; greatest extent of wing,J:J-(K); longest wing, 15-50; tail, s-Oft; 

 bill, -ist; tav-ii*, 1-80. 'Shorte-t specimen, IS'OO; smallest extent of wing, 40'00, shortest wing, 14 '50; tail, 7'50; bill , '75 

 tarsu<, 1 'JO- 



