On the breeding-habits of this species, Mr. Potts has communicated the following particulars, 

 in a paper read before the Wellington Philosophical Society*: — "At present it is in the 'back 

 country' only that we can hope to find its breeding-place, which is usually in a ledge of rock 

 commanding a prospect over some extent of country. Such an out-look gives an advantage of 

 no little value, of which the Falcon is not slow to avail itself, should such a bird as a Tui or 

 Pigeon appear in sight. Several of the breeding-places which we have had opportunities of 

 examining have presented, in a remarkable degree, very similar conditions as regards situation. 

 Amongst bold rocks, on the mountain-side, somewhat sheltered by a projecting or overhanging 

 mass, appears to be its favourite site for rearing its young. The eggs very closely resemble those 

 of Falco peregrinus of Europe in colour, size, and shape, are usually three in number, and are 

 deposited on any decayed vegetable matter that wind or rain may have collected on the rocky 

 ledge ; for the efforts of this bird in the way of nest-building are of the feeblest description." 

 Mr. Potts gives October, November, and December as the breeding-months, and states that the 

 localities (in Canterbury) noted for its eyries are rocks near Cass's Peak, Governor's Bay, Malvern 

 Hills, the river Potts, and Mount Harper. Above the upper gorge of the Ashburton or Haketere 

 River he discovered a nesting-place on the bare soil, sheltered by a large isolated rock. It con- 

 tained two young Hawks covered with grey down ; and the old birds were very bold in defence of 

 their offspring. 



From my brother, in Canterbury, I received a very handsome pair of eggs belonging to this 

 species. Although taken from the same nest, they differ somewhat from each other, both in size 

 and in the details of their colouring. One of them measures 2 inches in its longer axis, by 1*4 in 

 diameter; is elliptical in form; mottled and blotched with dark brown on a lighter ground, and 

 encircled at the thick end with a broad zone of very rich brown, varied with blotches of a paler 

 or reddish tint. The other is more broadly elliptical, measuring in its axis 1*9; diameter T45. 

 It wants the well-defined dark zone of the former, the whole surface being more or less mottled 

 and blotched with reddish-brown on a paler ground. The series of eggs of this species in the 

 Canterbury Museum exhibit considerable individual variation. Two specimens, taken from the 

 same nest, are more ovato-conical than ordinary examples, having an appreciably smaller end. 

 One of these is of a rich reddish brown towards the thicker end, with darker blotches, and 

 towards the other end pale brown, profusely sprinkled and mottled with dark reddish brown. 

 The other is somewhat similar, but more blotched with dark brown in the median circumference, 

 and with the ground-tint towards the small end reduced to a whitish cream-colour. In two other 

 examples (also from one nest) the whole surface is reddish brown, stained, mottled, and blotched 

 with darker brown ; but one of them has the brown of a richer tint, and the mottled character 

 more distinct. 



* Transactions of the New-Zealand Institute, vol. ii. p. 51, 1869. 



