Page:Notes on the Ornithology of Southern Texas.djvu/37

152 136. Palco communis var.naevius, Gmel.

Bather common on the prairies near the coast during winter. — (F. anatum, Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 323.)

137. Palco fusco-ceerulescens, Vieill.

Until recently but two specimens of this beautiful Falcon had been taken within the United States, one in New Mexico, the other in Texas. During 1876 and 1877, 1 had occasionally seen a Hawk that I felt confident was of this species, but did not succeed in obtaining any specimens.

On the 16th of June of the latter year, T found a nest placed in the top of a low Spanish bayonet growing in Palo Alto prairie, about seven miles from Fort Brown. After waiting a long time, I wounded the female, but she sailed off over the prairie and went down among some tall grass, where she could not be found: the male did not come within gunshot, though he twice rose from the nest on my approach. The nest was a slightly depressed platform of twigs, with a little grass for lining. The eggs, three in number, were rotten, though containing well-developed embryoes. They measure 1.81 by 1.29, 1.77 by 1.33, and 1.88 by 1.33 respectively. This set is now in Dr. Brewer's collection. On May 7, 1878, a second nest was found within one hundred yards of the one just mentioned, and the parent secured. The nest in situa- tion and construction was precisely like the other, except that the yucca was higher, the top being about twelve feet from the ground. The eggs were three in number, all well advanced but one, with a dead embryo. They measure 1.78 by 1.34, 1.82 by 1.29, 1.73 by 1.32 ; the ground-color is white, but so thickly dotted with reddish-brown as to appear of that color ; over these are somewhat heavier markings of deeper shades of brown.

A single egg y without history, sent to me from Hidalgo, Texas, by Dr. S. M. Finley, U. S. A., measures 1.73 by 1.36: it is probably of this species, but its general appearance is much more reddish than either of the above sets.

Since becoming more familiar with the habits of this Falcon, I have several times observed it among yuccas and prickly pears on open prairies, and it is probably a not very uncommon summer resident in such places in this vicinity.

Note. — The egg referred to by Dr. Merrill as without history presents a very interesting problem, only to be solved when eggs precisely similar can be found with their parentage satisfactorily established. It may be an egg of femoralis, but is quite as likely to be something else. It resembles in the color and peculiarities of its markings no eggs of the femoralis I have ever seen. It has neither the beautiful vandyke-brown markings of the egg figured in my Oology, nor any of the more abundant raw-sienna dottings found in both the speci-