BIRDS OF PREY 
354b. Black Gyrfalcon. 
Falco rusticolus obsoletus. 
Range. — Labrador; south casually, in winter, 
to Long Island. 
A slightly darker variety. Eggs indistin- 
guishable. Data. — Ungava coast, Labrador, 
May 25, 1900. Nest a heap oi' seaweed and 
feathers on sea cliff, containing three eggs. 
355. Prairie Falcon. Falcon mexicanus . 
Range.— United States west of the Missis 
sippi, and from Dakota and Washington south- 
ward to Mexico. 
Prairie Falcon 
This species abounds in suitable lo- 
calities, generally placing its nests 
' upon rocky ledges and cliffs, and some- 
times trees, generally upon the banks 
Reddish buff of some stream. The nests are masses 
of sticks, lined with weeds and grasses. The three or four eggs have a reddish 
buff ground color, and are thickly sprinkled and blotched with reddish buff 
brown and chestnut; size 2.05 x 1.60. 
356a. Duck Hawk. Falco peregrinus anatnm. 
Range. — Whole of North America^ breeding locally, chiefly in mountainous re- 
gions, throughout its range. 
This beautiful species, characterized by its black moustache, is the most 
graceful, fearless, and swiftest of the Falcons, striking down birds of several 
times its own weight, such as some of the larger Ducks. It breeds quite 
abundantly on the Pacific coast and in certain localities in the Dakotas, laying 
its eggs on the rocky ledges. Their eggs are 
similar to those of the Prairie Falcon, but are 
Buff or reddish buff 
darker and brighter, in fact they are the dark- 
est, brightest marked, and most beautiful of 
Falcon eggs; size 2.05 x1.55. 
219 
Duck Hawk 
