of the American Goshawk. 147 



festooned ; lower mandible a little deflected towards the tip, 

 which is broadly rounded. Head large ; neck short ; body robust. 

 Legs longish, the tibia long, the tarsus rounded, anteriorly 

 scutellate, scal}?^ on the sides ; toes rather long, stout, scutellate 

 above, scaly on the sides, tubercular and scabrous beneath, the 

 fore toes with a slight web at the base ; claws roundish curved, 

 extremely acute. 



Plumage, compact. Wings reaching to the middle of the tail, 

 the fourth quill longest, the first and eighth equal. Tail long, 

 nearly even, of twelve broad feathers. Tarsus feathered more 

 than one third down. 



Bill black, light blue at the base ; cere greenish yellow ; eye- 

 brow greenish blue ; iris reddish orange ; feet ochre yellow. 

 The general colour of the upper parts is dark ash gray ; the upper 

 part of the head, and the ear-coverts are grayish black ; a broad 

 line of white over each eye ; a central line on each feather black, 

 as is the case with those of the neck and back ; under parts 

 grayish white ; the sides and abdomen tinged with brown ; fore 

 neck longitudinally streaked with a blackish colour ; the breast, 

 sides, and belly, transversely barred with blackish gray, and 

 longitudinally lined with black ; tail with five broad bands of 

 brownish black, the terminal band much broader ; the extreme 

 tips whitish. 



Length, 24 inches ; extent of wings, 47 ; weight, 2i lb. 



Adult Female. — The female agrees with the male in every 

 particular of the above description, but is somewhat larger. 



YouNci Male.— Bill as in the adult; iris light yellow; feet 

 greenish yellow. The general colour of the upper parts is light 

 reddish brown, largely spotted with brownish black. On the 

 upper part of the head, the margins of the feathers are brownish 

 red, and the black predominates ; a broad band of white over 

 each eye ; quills lightish brown, barred with a darker colour ; tail 

 brownish gray, banded with brownish black ; ear-coverts brownish, 

 streaked with black, as is the throat ; fore neck and breast pale 

 reddish brown, the former marked with small oblong spots af 

 dark brown, the latter with large ovate, acuminate spots of a 

 deeper tint ; the shafts black ; upper tibial feathers barred^ the 

 rest with oblong spots, which, with th€ shafts, are brownish 

 black ; the short tarsal feathers similarly spotted. 



Length, 21^ inches; extent of wings, 46. 



From the above short descriptions of the American goshawk, 

 it will be seen, that it does not differ in any essential respect 

 from the European bird of the same name. I am, dear sir, 

 yours respectfully, 



John J. Audubon. 



Edinburgh, February , 183L 



