Nests in Buildings, Bridges, Walls, Etc. 



The nest is usually placed in the ledges of rocks in the 

 mountainous districts, but sometimes a hollow in a large tree 

 is used. 3 to 4 eggs are laid; they vary greatly in colour; 

 some are creamy white with dark chocolate blotches, and others 

 are reddish brown, spotted and blotched with various shades of 

 the same colour. Size — 2.08 x 1.63. 



Few people associate the name of Duck Hawk with the Pere- 

 grine Falcon of history, yet this is the bird that was used when 

 falconry was the fashionable pastime ; at that time almost any 

 price was paid for a well-trained tercel, as the male bird was 

 called ; now that falconry has almost died out, the name of pere- 

 grine will probably go, and the more common name of duck 

 hawk will be the only name by which this bird will be known. 



The breeding season in the South begins in March. 



357. Pigeon Hawk: Faico columbarius Linn. 



Adu/f— Upper parts slate colour; tail with white bars; under 



parts buff, marked with deep brown. 

 Immature — Upper parts brownish or ashy brown; tail barred 



with buff ; under parts light rusty buff with streaks of deep 



brown. Length — 10.00 to 13.00. 

 Breeding Range — Seldom very far south of the northern boundary 



of the United States. 



The place chosen for nesting may be on a cliff, in the hollow 

 of a tree, or on the branches. 4 to 5 eggs are laid ; they are 

 light cinnamon or creamy white with blotches, clouded and 

 spotted with chestnut and brown. Size — 1.56 x 1.22. 



365. American Barn Owl: Strix pratincola Bonap. 



Adult — Upper parts a general mixture of yellowish buff and 

 gray ; under parts and face white or creamy white ; no ear- 

 tufts; eyes black. Length — 18.00. 



Breeding Range — From Connecticut, southward. 



The nest is placed either in some part of an old building, 

 a bridge, or in a hollow branch of a tree, rarely in banks or "holes 

 in the ground " (Davie). The eggs are white and vary in number 

 usually from 4 to 9. "Authentic sets of eleven" are mentioned 

 by Davie." Size — 1.72 x 1.35. 



8a 



