26 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 



" In another nest were four young birds covered with buff-col- 

 ored down, their legs and feet of a pale yellowish flesh-color, the 

 bill light-blue, and the eyes pale-gray. They differed greatly in 

 size, one being quite small compared with the rest. I am of 

 opinion that few breed to the south of the State of Maine." 



I once witnessed an attempt of this bird to capture a 

 common gray squirrel, that was quite interesting to the 

 ])eholder, but certainly not to the animal. While on a col- 

 lecting excursion, a few miles from Boston, as I was seated 

 beneath a huge oak, observing the movements of some small 

 birds, I heard the barking of a squirrel ; and, while looking 

 for his whereabouts, I suddenly heard a whistling sound as 

 of a body falling through the air, and, as quick as thought, 

 a Goshawk struck on the limb, on the spot where, a second 

 before, the squirrel had been seated : luckily for the squirrel, 

 the hawk missed his aim, the animal giving a sudden dodge 

 beneath the limb the moment the hawk appeared. All 

 who are acquainted with the habits of this quadruped 

 know that it is very successful in dodging behind the limb 

 of a tree, and hugging it closely. The hawk sat a few 

 moments, apparently surprised at his disappointment, when, 

 suddenly launching into the air, he espied it beneath the 

 limb, hugging for dear life. As soon as he had moved, 

 the squirrel turned adroitly on the limb, still keeping it 

 between itself and its enemy. After several trials, the 

 hawk always alighting and remaining perched on the limb a 

 few seconds, he siicceeded, by a dexterous feint, in securing 

 his prey, when, on the instant, I fired, bringing the hawk 

 and his victim to the ground. The hawk dropped dead; 

 but the squirrel, after lying on the ground a moment, got 

 up, and staggered off beneath a pile of rocks, and I neither 

 saw nor heard any thing more of it. 



ACCIPITER, Bkisson. 



Accipiter, Brisson, Orn., I. 310 (1760). 



General form more slender and smaller than Astur, but otherwise similar; wings 

 short, tail long, tarsi long and slender, frequently with the scales in front nearly 



