120 FALCONID^ 



Juv. feminae adnltae similis sed nigricans, et stiiis gastraei plnmarum medianis quoque nigricantibus. Long. 

 tota 11-8, alae 7"6. (Descr. maris ex Hermosillo, Sonora. Mus. nostr.) 



nah. North Amekica generally, breeding north of the United States i^. — Mkxico, 

 Hermosillo in Sonora, Puebla, Chietla ^ {Ferrari- Perez), San Diego (Bohinette ^^), 

 Presidio de Mazatlan (Forrer), Mazatlan i^, Tres Marias Is. i^, Tepic ^^ (Grayson), 

 Flams oiCo\im&{Itichardson), Valley of Mexico {Sumichrast\ Herrera"'), Tehuacan, 

 Orizaba (Sumichrast^), Mugeres I., Cozumel I. (Gaumer ^®) ; Hondpbas, Kuatan I. 

 (Gaumer^^); Nicaragua, Chinandega (Z7. S. Nat. Mus.); Costa Rica {v. Frantzius ^% 

 San Jose (Carmiol ^*, Cherrie ^) ; Panama, Chiriqui, Calobre [Arce i^). Lion Hill 

 {M'^Leannan). — Colombia ^ ; Venezuela ^ ; Antilles, Swan I.^ 



The North-American Merlin is a migrant throughout the whole of Central America, 

 and has been captured in many parts of Mexico, as may be seen by the above list of 

 localities. From the more southern States it has been less frequently recorded, but 

 Grayson found the species common in Western Mexico. Specimens have been met with 

 in the Tres Marias Islands, but it seems probable that the bird is only a straggler 

 therein. We have no example from Guatemala, and Mr. Cherrie records but one 

 from Costa Rica. Grayson ^^ says that at Tepic he observed one of these Merlins daily 

 perched on the top of a tree growing in the plaza, where it preyed on the numerous 

 small " Cow-pen-Blackbirds," returning to the tree from time to time to leisurely 

 devour its victim. Between eight and twelve o'clock in the morning he noticed one 

 kill no less than three of these birds. The species remained iu the same locality 

 from November to January. 



This Merlin breeds in the northern parts of North America, but is found on the 

 mountains further south. 



In the winter F. columbariiis often migrates in considerable flocks, and is destructive 

 to many kinds of small birds, but it also attacks Pigeons, and occasionally carries off 

 chickens. According to Dr. A. K. Fisher, its food also comprises small mammalia 

 and insects, such as crickets, dragonfiies, beetles, &c. 



The nest is generally placed on ledges or in ca\ities of cliffs, but occasionally the 

 bird will build a somewhat bulky nest in a tree. The eggs vary from four to six 

 in number ; they are rich reddish-brown, with blotches of vinous or chestnut-brown, 

 entirely concealing the creamy-white ground-colour. 



7. Falco richardsoni. 



Falco msalon. Swains. Faun. Bor.-Am., Birds, t. 25 (nee Tunst.)'. 



Falco (Hypotriorchis) richardsonii, Ridgw. Pr. Ac. Phil. 1870^ p. 145 . 



Falco {^salon) liikofalco, var. richardsoni, Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. Birds, iii. p. 148 '. 



Falco richardsonii, Ridgw. Man. N. Amer. Birds, ed. 2, p. 251 '; Bendire, Life Hist. N. Amer. 



Birds, i. p. 303 = ; Fisher, Bull. U. S. Dep. Agr. no. 3, p. 114' ; A. O. U. Check-1. N. Amer. 



Birds, p. 139'. 



