FALCONID.E — THE FALCONS. ISl 



Mr, T}. Owen, wlio I'diiiul this liird lnvcdinjf near San Geronimo, C.uato- 

 mala, Ajml 2 (Iliis, 18G1, p. G7j, states tluit the nest was Imilt on llie very 

 crown of a high tree in tlie plain. It was made of small l)iiiiiches twisted 

 together, and had a slight lining of coarse grass. It was shallow, and formed 

 a mass of consideral)le size. Tiie eggs were four in numlier, and are de- 

 scrilied as measuring lMo inches hy 1. HO, having a liglit red ground-color, 

 and sjiutted and blotched all over with several shades of a darker red. 



Dr. Ileermann found the nest of this species on (he Medina IJiver. It 

 was built in an oak, and constructed of coars(; twigs and lined w ilii leaves 

 and roots. It was quite recently (inished, and coMt:iined no eggs. Mr. 

 Dresser states that it breeds all over the country about San Antonio, build- 

 ing a large bulky nest of sticks, lined with small roots and grass, geneially 

 ])laced in a low mescjuite or oak tree, and laying three or four roundish eggs, 

 similar to those of the Honey Uuzzard of Euro])e. He found several nests 

 in April and through May, and was told by the niiir/icros that its eggs are 

 found as late as June. The nests found in the collection of Dr. Berlandier, 

 of jMatanioras, were coarse Hat stnu'tiires, composed of flags, reeds, and grass. 

 The nests, thougli usually l)uilt on the tops of trees, are occasionally found, 

 according to Darwin, on a low cliff, or even on a l)ush. Tlu' numlier of the 

 eggs is rarely, if ever, more than three or four. Four eggs, taken by Dr. 

 Berlandier near the l!io Grande, exhil)it a maxinnun length of 2.44 inches ; 

 least length, 2.2.") ; average, 2.41. The diameter of the smallest egg is 1.7.") 

 inches ; that of the largest, I.S8 ; avi'rage, 1.81. These eggs not only present 

 the great and unusual variation in their lengtli of nearly eight i)er cent, but 

 A'ery striking and anomalous deviations from unil'oriuity are also noticeable 

 in their ground-color and markings. Tlie ground-color varies from a nearly 

 pure white to a very deep russet or tan-color, and the markings, though 

 all of sepia-lirown, differ greatly in their shades. In some, the grou'id- 

 color is nearly pure white witli a slight pinkish tinge, nearly uns[)otted at 

 the smaller end, and oidy marked by a few light blotches of a sepia-brown. 

 These markings increase both in size and frerpiency, and become of a deeper 

 shade, as they are nearer the larger end, until they liecome almost black, and 

 around this extremity tliey form a large conllueut ring of blotches and 

 dashes of a dark sepia. Others have a ground-color of light russet, or rather 

 white with a very slight wash of russet, and are marked over the entire sur- 

 face, in about e(pial proportion, with irregular lines and broad dashes of dark 

 sepia. Again, in others the ground is of the deepest ru.s.set or tan-color, ard 

 is marked with deep blotches of a dark sejiia, almost black. The eggs are 

 much more oblong than those of most birds of prey, and in this res])ect also 

 show their relation to the Vultures, rather tlian to the Hawks or Eagh.'s. 

 They are pyriform, the smaller end tapers (pute abrui)tly, and varies nmch 

 more, in its proportions, from the larger extremity, than tiie eggs of most 

 true Hawlvs. 



Lieutenant Gilliss found the Soutli American race exceedingly numerous 



