372 



FALCON AND EAGLE GROUP 



is one of the causes which have larcjely conduced to the practical 

 extermination of this bird as a breeding-species in the United 

 Kingdom. 



Goshawk 



(Astur palum- 



barius). 



With the goshawk, or " goose-hawk," we reach the 

 first representative of the typical hawks, which differ 

 from falcons and the great majority of the members 

 of the order by the shorter and more rounded wings, 

 and from all save the harriers by the length of the leg, in which the 

 shank or lower segment is approximately equal to the one above it. 



In all the members of the grouj) 

 hitherto mentioned, with the ex- 

 F ception of the honey-buzzard, the 



upper half of the beak is fur- 

 nished with a distinct " tooth " 

 on each side ; but in the present 

 and all the following species this 

 is wanting. Although the length 

 of the shank is a sufficient char- 

 acteristic of the group, it may be 

 added that this portion of the leg 

 is protected by large shield-like 

 scales both in front and behind ; 

 in the wing the fourth quill (or 

 if not this the third or the fifth) 

 is the longest ; and that the 

 short, stout, and sharph' curved 

 upper half of the beak displays 

 a bold festoon on each side. 

 The sexes differ markedly in 

 size ; and the plumage is grey 

 or brown above, and beneath 

 spotted in young, and transversely barred in adult birds. The group 

 has a wide distribution ; all its representatives being denizens of forests 

 or well-timbered districts, and constructing nests of their own in trees. 

 Roughly speaking, the goshawk may be likened to a large sparrow- 

 hawk ; but its size is so much superior to that of the latter that there 

 is no possibility of confounding the two species even in a casual glance, 

 the female goshawk measuring as much as 23 inches in length, and 

 her partner about 3 inches less. As regards colour, the two sexes are 

 practically alike, the adults having the upper-parts dark ashy brown, 



GOSHAWK (fkmaij:). 



