322 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



At all ages the unfeathered tarsi distinguish the bird from 

 the Golden Eagle, and in its adult dress, not attained until it 

 is six or seven years old, the white tail and yellow beak are 

 distinctive. The upper parts of the adult are brown, and the 

 head is lighter, grey or almost white in veiy old birds ; beneath 

 it is darker brown. The beak, cere, legs and irides are yellow, 

 the claws black. The head seems to be always darker in the 

 larger female. In the darker immature birds the tail is at first 

 brown, but later becomes mottled and greyer, but is never 

 barred as in the Golden Eagle. The cere and legs ai-e duller 

 yellow, the bill is black, and the irides brown. Male: Length, 

 36 ins. Wing, 24 ins. Tarsus, 4 ins. Female: Length, 

 40 ins. Wing, 27 ins. Tarsus, 4-5 ins. 



Goshawk. Asinr palwnlmrins (Linn.). 



The Palaearctic Goshawks are divided into a num.ber of 

 geographical races, and those which appear in the British Isles 

 as irregular and occasional autumn and winter visitors are 

 of the European form. The majority of these visits have been 

 to the eastern seaboard of England and Scotland and, as is the 

 case with many raptorial stragglers, have been immature birds 

 (Plate 137). In the days of falconry, according to literary 

 historical evidence, falconers intentionally released Goshawks 

 in order that they might breed in Britain and obtain the 

 requisite degree of ferocity and skill, but game-preservation 

 prevented the permanent establishment of the species. It is 

 possible, too, that some of the records of the bird really refer 

 to the Peregrine, since this bird is still known as the 

 " Goshawk" in some parts. In 1893 a female nested in York- 

 shire, but it may have been an escape from captivity, since it 

 is still a favourite bird of the chase. 



The short-winged, long-tailed Goshawk, in plumage and 

 habits, is a large fierce Sparrow-Hawk ; it beats for its quarry, 



