FLYCATCHERS-GROSBEAK-SPARROWS-AMERICAN LANIER. 



141 



Black Flycatcher. (JSayornis nigricans?) 

 Fig. 6. 



This is an abundant species in its resident territory, along rocky 

 streams, and in unwooded country, in the southwestern portions of 

 the United States. 



Cooper says : " They often sit for hours on the end of a barn or 

 other perch, uttering their monotonous, but not unpleasing, ditty, 

 which sounds like * pittie, pittit,' alternately repeated, much like 

 the cry of the eastern Pewee or Phoebi-bird (S.fuscus), which is 

 their exact analogue in habits. They fly only short distances at a 

 time, turning and dodging quickly in pursuit of their prey, which 

 they capture with a sharp snap of the bill." 



Say's Flycatcher. (Sayornis sayus.) 



Fig. 7. 



This is another of our abundant Western North American spe- 

 cies. Its habits are similar to the last-named — the Black Fly- 

 catcher. 



Black-headed Grosbeak. (Goniafihea melanocephala.} 



Fig. 8. 



"This interesting western ally and representative of our Rose- 

 breasted Song Grosbeak is of common and very general occur- 

 rence in the middle and western provinces of the United States. 

 The easternmost instance is, I believe, that recorded by Mr. Allen, 

 who found the bird in Middle Kansas, breeding, in June. He saw 

 young birds on the nth, and the eggs of a second brood toward 

 the end of the month. I have not observed any references beyond 

 the United States to the northward ; in the other direction, the bird 

 appears to extend through Mexico, on the table-lands. Many re- 

 side in that country; others, obeying the mysterious impulse of 

 migration, enter the United States in April, and become exten- 

 sively dispersed, as we have just seen, retreating to their warm 

 winter quarters in the fall. In the mountains of Arizona, I found 

 it to be an abundant summer resident from the beginning of May 

 until the end of September. It appeared to shun the pine woods, 

 preferring ravines wooded with deciduous trees and upgrown to 

 shrubbery, as well as the thick willow-copses that fringe the 

 mountain streams. Like others of the same beautiful genus, it is 

 a brilliant and enthusiastic vocalist, its song resembling that of the 

 Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and having much similarity to that of the 

 Baltimore Oriole. As I have elsewhere remarked, its ordinary 

 chirp, or call-note, strikingly resembles that of Gambel's Plumed 

 Quail — so closely, indeed, that I never could tell which of the two 

 I was about to see, both species often being found together in the 

 creek bottoms. It feeds at times extensively upon willow-buds, 

 and similar soft, succulent vegetable matter ; also upon seeds and 

 berries, in their season, and upon various insects. Mr. Allen has 

 noted its fondness for peas, causing it to be ungraciously regarded 

 by the agriculturists of Utah." — Coues. 



Rusty Song-Sparrow. (Melospiza rufina.) 



Fig. 9. 



This is the more northern variety of our common Song-Sparrow, 

 represented on Plate IV, figures 4 and 5, described on page 4. 

 Its range extends from Alaska to California. 



Townsend's Finch, or Sparrow. Slate-Colored Sparrow. Fox Spar- 

 row. (Passerella townsendii.) 



Fig. 10. 



This species is the Pacific Coast variety of the common Fox 

 Sparrow, figure 6, Plate LVI, and described on page 82. Cooper, 

 in his Ornithology of California, says : 



" While, with us, they are rather shy and silent birds, frequent- 

 ing the woods and thick bushes, where they are constantly scratch- 

 ing among the dead leaves, gaining a scanty subsistance from seeds 

 and insects." 



PLATE XCV. 



Prairie Hawk. 



American Lanier, or Prairie Falcon. Lanier Faloon. 



(Falco mexicanus, var. polyagrus.) 



Fig. 1. 



" The comparatively late discovery of this bird as an inhabitant 

 of the United States is particularly interesting, not only as giving 

 us a hitherto unknown representative of the familiar Lanier group 

 of Falcons of the Old World, but also as adding another to the 

 numerous instances of close alliance of Western American birds 

 to certain Old World forms. 



" This interesting bird is of general distribution in open country 

 throughout the West, and rather common. It appears to be essen- 

 tially a prairie species, a circumstance probably explaining its oc- 

 currence in Illinois, where it was noted by Mr. J. D. Sargent and 

 Mr. R. Ridgway. Prof. Snow catalogues it as rare in winter in 

 Kansas. Dr. Hayden remarks that it is found at various points 

 along the Missouri and on the Platte, though not abundantly. 

 Several observers found it in New Mexico and Arizona. On the 

 Pacific coast, it is known to occur at various points, from Fort 

 Dallas, Oregon, where it was procured by Dr. Suckley, to Monte- 

 rey, whence came one of the types of the species. It appears to 

 be particularly abundant in the open portions of Southern Califor- 

 nia, where Dr. Cooper told me he often saw it, in company with 

 the Ferruginous Buzzard, resting on the ground, or flying low over 

 the surface in the neighborhood of the villages of the California 

 ground squirrel {Spermofhilus beecheyt), for which animals it was 

 doubtless on the watch. The only time I ever saw it alive was in 

 this region. While at Drumm Barracks, one of these birds dashed 

 past, returned in an instant, and alighted on the roof of the house, 

 while Dr. Cooper and I were standing on the porch. It had evi- 

 dent designs upon the Blackbirds, thousands of which were scur- 

 rying about. Watching the bird for a few moments, and perceiv- 

 ing it had no intention of leaving at that particular time, I went 

 into the house for my gun, and loaded for its especial benefit. 

 The bird watched the whole proceedings, eyeing me audaciously, 

 and never stirred from its perch until I made an irresistible appeal. 

 I found it to be a young bird, the iris brown, the feet dull bluish, 

 the claws black, the bill bluish black, with the base of the under 

 mandible yellow. 



" This Falcon is inferior to none of our country in strength and 

 spirit, unless it be that the Gyrfalcon surpasses it in this respect. 

 It even attacks and overpowers the great hares of the West (£,. 

 callotis and allies) — animals actually larger and heavier than 

 itself."— Coues, 



