io6 BRITISH BIRDS 



The male measures about 20 inches in length, and the 

 female as much as 25 or 26 inches, and her weight is 

 proportionately greater than that of her mate, who weighs 

 about two pounds. 



The upper surface is brown with a black centre to 

 each feather, and the under parts whitish-grey on the 

 neck, brownish on the breast and belly with crescentic 

 dark brown markings, and blue-grey on the vent and 

 under surface of the tail, which is crossed by a number 

 of narrow black bars; the tips of the tail feathers are 

 white. The bill is slate colour and the cere yellow; the 

 legs and feet are yellowish-grey ; and the talons, horn-colour. 



The Goshawk. 



The thick head of the Goshawk gives it somewhat of 

 an owlish appearance, which is belied by its audacity and 

 courage. The female is much bigger than the male, but 

 in this instance, at all events, "the best goods are made 

 into the smallest parcels," for he far excels her in prowess, 

 and at one time was valued, notwithstanding his compa- 

 ratively limited powers of flight, for flying at ground game 

 such as hares and rabbits, as well as at pheasants and 

 partridges, which indeed form the bird's natural prey, and 

 it will only take them if alive, utterly disdaining carrion. 



The nest is made of sticks, and is placed close to the 

 trunk of fir and other tall trees. The eggs vary from two 

 to five in number, the average being three ; they are bluish- 

 white with a few reddish-yellow spots upon them, especially 

 at the larger end. 



All the upper parts of the Goshawk are dark brown, 

 and the under parts grey with a bluish tint, especially on 

 the sides and vent, thickly dotted with arrow-headed spots 

 of a blackish-grey colour. The cere, the iris, the legs, 

 and strong feet are yellow; the bill and the powerful talons 

 are horn grey. It is a strongly built bird about 18 or 20 

 inches in length, but the female measures two or three 

 inches more. 



Macgillivray, after comparing Continental and American 

 Goshawks with some obtained in Britain, found that there 



