286 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



from a set of three, also taken in June, 1865. They were all collected by 

 the indefatigable Mr. R. MacFarlane, near Anderson River Fort, Arctic 

 America, situated in latitude 68° 35' N. 



96. Falco rusticolus obsoletus (Gmelin). 



BLACK GYRFALCON. 



Falco obsoletus Gmelin, Systema Naturse, 1, i, 1788, 268. 

 Falco rusticolus obsoletus Stejneger, Auk, 11, 1885, 187. 



(B — , C — , R 412c, C 499, U 3546.) 



Geographical range : Coast of Labrador ; south in winter to Canada, Maine, 

 and New York. 



As far as known at present the breeding range of the Black Gyrfalcon, 

 the darkest colored bird of this genus, is confined to the coast of Labrador. 



Mr. L. M. Turner, of the U. S. Signal Service, gives the following 

 account of this subspecies in his "Notes on the Birds of Labrador and 

 Ungava," and he has kindly permitted me to make the following extracts 

 from the same. He says: "A number of specimens of this large Hawk 

 were procured at Fort Chimo. * * * 



"A pair of these Hawks had been frequenting the Chapel for the last six 

 weeks and were occasionally seen throughout the winter. The nest site 

 first selected was deserted and a new one chosen, some 200 yards to the 

 south, but on the same side of the bluff. The Chapel is an immense rock, 

 some 300 feet above the surrounding rocks, and gradually slopes upward to 

 the north end, which is almost precipitous and absolutely inaccessible. The 

 west side of the north end is nearly perpendicular for half the length, but 

 varying some 40 to 90 feet in height along the perpendicular portion. The 

 eastern side is more abrupt and higher, being in places over 200 feet, almost 

 perpendicular. Here are several ledges on which these Hawks have built 

 their nests for many years. The southern end of the hill is low and forms 

 an easy slope to the top. The nests of these Hawks were attainable only 

 by a person being lowered over the side of the cliff. On April 7 I observed 

 beneath the nest site first selected a number of sticks and other refuse lying on 

 the snow below, as though the locality had been subjected to a rearrange- 

 ment or cleaning process, and such material as appeared unnecessary was 

 rejected and cast over the side of the ledge. The site of this nest was a 

 narrow ledge of rock which projected from the main wall and embraced 

 an area of not over 3 superficial feet. Here were a number of spruce and 

 larch twigs and branches of various sizes imbedded in what appeared to 

 be the accumulated debris of many generations. Among this a few grass 

 seeds had found enough soil to enable them to send forth a rank growth, 

 which was now appearing. This mass or accumulation was about 10 inches 

 deep and covered nearly the entire surface of the ledge. The new nest, 

 forming an irregular truncate cone, was placed on this. 



