CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. , 285 



and lays its eggs about 15th May. I have seen the young able to 

 fly in July. {Rev. C. J. Young.) Breeds in Toronto, Ont., and 

 around the city, as well as in the Parry Sound district. (/. H. 

 Fleming.) This bird seems to prefer holes in trees, the old nests 

 of the flicker are probably the ones used. The eggs, five in number, 

 are of a buff or pale yellowish brown, v/ith splashes of dark brown 

 all over, but most' numerous at the greater end. About the first 

 week in May, the nest may be looked for in the neighbourbood of 

 Ottawa. (G. R. White.) Breeds always in cavities in trees — 

 eggs, 4-6. iyV. E. Saunders.) Breeds sparingly on islands in the 

 St. John river and on large burnt areas in New Brunswick. For a 

 number of years a pair nested in a spire of a church entering at a 

 hole made by Colaptes auratus. (W. H. Moore.) 



This species was first seen in 1892 at Indian Head, Sask., on i6th 

 April, and was common by the 24th. It breeds in the woods and 

 in trees in the stream valleys. A nest was found in an old flicker's 

 nest in a poplar, June 5th; it contained five eggs. In April, 1894, 

 it began to breed on the 17th in holes in poplars. On the 27th 

 May, 189s, a nest was discovered in a flicker's hole in a box elder 

 tree on Old Wives' creek, Sask. The female sat so close that she 

 had to be shoved with a stick before she would move. The nest 

 contained five eggs of a deep cinnamon buff, but becoming brown 

 or cinnamon at the larger end. This species is also common on 

 Vancouver island, always breeding in holes. It feeds upon mice, 

 young birds, grasshoppers and other insects and on one occasion 

 I saw one catch a small snake. I have seen nests from sixty to 

 seventy feet above the ground. (Spreadborough.) It breeds in 

 the interior at least as far north as Fort Rae, Great Slave lake, 

 in lat. 62° N. (Bendire, Vol. I., 309.) 



360a. Desert Sparrow Hawk. 



Falco sparverius phalcena (Lesson) Nelson. 1902. 



Near the mouth of Milk river, Montana, June 30th, 1874, collected 

 by Dr. Coues. (Mearns in The Auk, Vol. IX., 266.) Abundant 

 resident; Mr. Brewster informs me that my Chilliwack specimens 

 of sparverius belong to this form. It is a permanent resident 

 throughout the southern part of British Columbia; a few remain at 

 Lake Okanagan all winter. (Brooks.) Common in woods along 



