The Birds of Wyoming. 63 



and Owls of the United States," pp. 43-44-45, has the follow- 

 ing to say regarding its habits : 



"The Goshawk, like the two preceding species of the 

 genus, feeds largely on the flesh of birds, and to a less extent 

 on mammals. Poultry, ducks, grouse, and many of the small- 

 er birds, together with hares, squirrels, and other rodents 

 make up its fare. Fortunately, in most farming districts, at 

 least in the United States, it is comparatively rare except dur- 

 ing the fall and winter months, otherwise its depredations 

 among the poultry would be a very serious matter. Its large 

 size and greater strength enable it to carry off heavier quarry 

 than Cooper's Hawk, and consequently its powers for mis- 

 chief are more to be dreaded by the poultrymen. Mr. L. M. 

 Turner states that in Alaska the lemming forms a considerable 

 part of its food. 



"In the general character of its flight, as well as the 

 mode of hunting and capturing its prey, it closely resembles 

 Cooper's Hawk, though it frequents the thick woods rather 

 more than the latter bird. In the fall this Hawk is common 

 along the smaller water courses where it is very destructive 

 to wild ducks and other water fowl, and is able to strike down 

 a bird as large as a full-grown mallard. If its prey is a bird 

 of this size it rarely eats more than the flesh from the breast, 

 leaving the rest of the carcass untouched. Scorning to feed 

 upon carrion, another victim is secured when hunger returns. 



"Of the upland game birds the ptarmigan in the north 

 and the ruffed grouse in the middle districts suffer severely 

 from the attacks of this powerful Hawk. Dr. William H, 

 Dall, who found it common in the valley of the Yukon river, 

 states that it feeds largely on the white ptarmigan, the flocks 

 of which it follows from place to place. E. W. Nelson and 

 L. M. Turner both corroborate its destructiveness among these 

 birds. In some parts of the country the Goshawk hunts the 

 ruffed grouse so persistently that it is known bv the name 

 of 'Partridge Hawk,' and this bird probably has no worse en- 

 -(5) 



