luiropc by supplying; artificial nest boxes lor birds, and tlic same method of 

 increasing the number of birds and attracting them to farms and orchards where 

 their services are most needed should be extensively employed in this country. 

 The experiment can the more easily be tried, since several firms in the L"nited 

 States are now prepared to make and deliver Ijoxes specially designed for 

 martins, swallows, bhiebirds, wren.s, woodpeckers and other species. The aver- 

 age farmer's boy, however, if provided with a few tools, is C|uite equal to the 

 task of making acceptable boxes for the commoner species, which are f;ir from 

 fastidious as to the appearance of the box intended for their occu])ancy. 



One of the worst foes of our native birds is the house cat, and probablv none 

 of our native wild animals destroys as many birds on the farm, particularly 

 fledglings, as cats. The household pet is by no means blameless in this resi)eci. 

 for the bird-hunting instinct is strong even in the well-fed tabby; but much of 

 the loss of our feathered life is attributed to tlu- half-.starved stray, which in 

 summer is as much at home in the groves and fields as the birds themselves. 

 Forced to forage for their own livelihood, these animals, which are almost as 

 wild as the ancestral wildcat, inflict an appalling loss on our feathered allies, and 

 even on the smaller game birds like the woodcock and bobwhite. If cats are to 

 find place in the farmer's household, every effort should be made by carefully 

 feeding and watching them to insure the safety of the birds. The cat witlinul .n 

 home shoidd be mercifully ptit out of the way. 



The American Goshawk (Astur atricapnius) 



By W. Leon Dawson 



Synonuu. — Blue Hen Hawk. 



Description. — Adult: Above slate-gray with darker shaft-lines; darker, 

 almost black on head ; white lines over and behind eye loosely connected by ill- 

 concealed basal white of cervical feathers; auricula rs blackish; tail with four 

 dusky bands, plain, or almost obsolete ; inner webs of wing-quills mottled — dusky 

 and whitish ; entire under parts white, finely and heavily marbled with slaty 

 gray, in fine wavy or zigzag lines, falling into fine bars on flanks and tibiae, 

 with blackish shaft-lines on throat and breast ; iris light yellow ; bill dark blue : 

 feet yellow, claws black. Iiniiiatiirc: Following the usital Accipitcr fashion: 

 above dark brown, spotted with buflf and whitish and margined with rusty; tail 

 with narrow white tip and four distinct dusky bands ; below whitish or huffy. 

 striped narrowly with dark brown — the markings guttate on belly, broader on 

 sides and flanks. Adult male length abotit 22.00 (558.8); wing 12.00-13.50 

 (304.8-342.9) ; tail 9..=^0-10.50 (241.3-266.7) ; bill from nostril .75 (19.1). Adult 

 female length about 24.00 (609.6); wing 13.25-14.25 (336.6-632.); tail 11.00- 

 12.50 (279.4-217.5). 



Recognition Marks. — Crow to Brant size; adult slaty blue above, white 



524 



