BIEDS OF NOETI-IEKN CANADA 367 



55° north in the interior, though on the Pacific coast it may 

 possibly be found somewhat farther northward during the 

 breeding season. There are no absolutely identified eggs 

 of Eichardson's merlin in the U.S. National Museum collec- 

 tion. Its mode of nidification, and the eggs as well, are 

 doubtless very similar to those of the common pigeon hawk, 

 and indistinguishable from them, but may possibly average 

 a trifle larger in size." According to Professor Macoun this 

 species breeds in " Alberta and Saskatchewan. The first 

 authentic set of eggs on record is in my collection. It was 

 taken by Mr. Eoy Ivor, south of Moose Jaw, on May 20th, 

 1893. The nest, containing four eggs, was made of sticks 

 and weeds and built in a poplar tree top. The next set 

 recorded was found by Mr. J. E. Houseman at Calgary, 

 Alberta, May 12th, 1894." It does not appear in Mr. Eoss's 

 List. There are no specimens, birds ©r eggs, in the National 

 Museum at Ottawa ! 



360. American Spaeeow Hawk — Falco sparverius (Linn.). 



At Port Eesolution, on 1st June, 1885, a nest was found 

 in a spruce tree. It was constructed of small twigs lined 

 with withered leaves, and contained two fresh eggs. The 

 female parent was shot, and both eggs and bird-skin were for- 

 warded to Mr. Dalgleish. Earlier the same season, Mr. 

 Eeid, of Port Providence, procured from the Indians the 

 contents of several nests, so that eleven eggs and two parent 

 skins were sent to Dr. Bell. We never observed any well- 

 authenticated examples of this hawk in the Anderson Eiver 

 country, while Mr. Eoss in his " List of Mackenzie Eiver 

 Birds " states that they go north to La Pierre's House, but 

 are " rather rare." 



Major Bendire states that "this handsome little falcon 

 is pretty generally distributed over the American continent, 

 excepting, perhaps, the extreme Arctic portions thereof, and 

 in the interior, at least as far north as Port Eae, Great Slave 

 Lake, latitude 63° north, where Mr. L. Clarke obtained a 

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