110 THE HAWKS AND OWLS OP THE UNITED STATES. 



some of the West Indian Islands it is a summer resident. It ^'inters 

 sparingly from the more southern portions of its breeding range through 

 the intermediate country to South America. The Black Merlin [Falco 

 c. sucMeyi), a dark race of the Pigeon Hawk, inhabits the northwest 

 coast from northern California Lo Sitka. 



The food of the Pigeon Hawk consists mainly of small and medium- 

 sized birds, especially the gregarious species, insects, and occasionally 

 small mammals. Pigeons, flickers, and grackles are about as large birds 

 as it usually attacks, though Dr. Dall in one instance saw it kill a 

 ptarmigan and Dr. E. A. Mearns speaks of a specimen shot in the act 

 of destroying a hen. Among insects the dragon flies are favorite mor- 

 sels for this Hawk, and the apparent ease with which it captures these 

 nimble-winged insects demonstrates better than anything else its re- 

 markable power of flight. The writer has also found grasshoppers, 

 crickets, and beetles among the stomach contents. 



Like the Duck Hawk, the species under consideration occasionally 

 captures small mammals when its ordinary food is scarce, though ac- 

 cording to Dr. J. G. Cooper, it sometimes feeds quite extensively on 

 them. He says: "Though small, the pigeon hawk has all the fierce- 

 ness and courage of a true falcon, and captures birds fully as large as 

 itself. It, however, chiefly tbllows the flocks of gregarious birds, such 

 as blackbirds, doves, etc., and preys much on mice, gophers, and 

 squirrels. I have not heard of its attacking domestic poultry, and 

 those farmers who shoot every 'chicken hawk' that comes around the 

 house would do well to observe them more closely, and will discover 

 that these small species are not the young of the larger ones, and 

 should rather be encouraged than destroyed." (Ornith. Gala., Land 

 Birds, 1870, p. 461.) 



Wilson sums up its food as follows: "When the reedbirds, grakles 

 and red-winged blackbirds congregate in large flights, he is often ob- 

 served hovering in their rear, or on their flanks, picking up the weak, 

 the wounded, or stragglers, and frequently making a sudden and fatal 

 sweep into the very midst of their multitudes. The flocks of robins and 

 pigeons are honored with the same attentions li'om this marauder." 

 (Am. Ornithology, vol i, 1831, pp. 61, 62.) 



Audubon speaks of its food as follows: "It seizes the Eed-breasted 

 Thrush, the Wild Pigeon, and even the Golden- winged Woodpecker, 

 on land; whilst along the shores it chases several species of snipes, as 

 well as the Green-winged Teal." (Ornith. Biography, vol. i, p. 467.) 



Mr. John Murdoch mentions four Pigeon Hawks which, on September 

 5, came out to the vessel as it was crossing the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 

 and says: "The first that appeared had a Leach's Petrel, dead, in his 

 talons. He alighted with this, on the fore crosstrees, and proceeded 

 to eat it." (Bull. Nutt. Ornith. Club, vol. ii, 1877, p. 79.) 



Dr. Coues, speaking of the species in Labrador, saj^s: "On the 25th 

 of the same month [August], at Henley Harbor, another individual was 



