32 
I was fortunate in finding a very handsome specimen of this Gos- 
hawk in the hands of a bird-stuffer there, who had obtained it a 
short time previously from a keeper in Perthshire, along with a 
number of Snow-Buntings and other birds shot by him on the flanks 
of Shechallion, and all recently skinned.” 
The following notes respecting the second example were published 
by Sir Victor A. Brooke in ‘ The Ibis’ for 1870. “I have the plea- 
sure of informing you of the occurrence in Ireland of Astur atrica- 
pillus, an example of which was shot in the Galtee Mountains in 
February last, and was at first believed to be a common Goshawk 
(A. palumbarius); but having since had the opportunity of ex- 
amining some specimens of that species in Lord Lilford’s collection, 
I immediately detected the difference between them and the Galtce 
bird. Upon returning to Ireland, with the kind permission of Dr. 
Carte I compared it with a specimen of A. atricapillus in the Dublin 
Society’s collection, and cleared up any doubt that remained on 
my mind, the closely set transverse bars, the longitudinal streaks 
(stronger and bolder than in the European species), the general dusky 
appearance of the breast, and the dark slate-blue head, removing all 
question on the subject. The bird was a mature female, and weighed 
3lb. 7oz.; the ovary was somewhat enlarged; and the stomach con- 
tained the remains of a rabbit.” Of the third example, all that has 
been recorded is that it was shot shortly after the above, near Par- 
sonstown, King’s County, and was also a female. 
A certain amount of interest attaches to the occurrence of these 
Goshawks, inasmuch as it tends to show how frequently American 
birds cross the Atlantic to our shores; but if all such visitants were 
to be figured, how greatly extended would be the ‘ Birds of Great 
Britain.’ 
Subfamily ACCIPITRINA, 
Genus ACCIPITER. 
Of this genus only one species frequents the British Islands; but 
several others are found in Africa, India, China, North and South 
America. The whole of them are active dashing birds, often flying 
near the ground and suddenly surprising the smaller insessorial 
species, upon which they principally prey. The sexes differ consider- 
ably in size, the males being much smaller than the females, A 
character by which they are at once distinguished from the Asturine: 
consists in the great length of their middle toes. 
14, Acorprmer-wisus. . . 3 <. 3) » «© «) ReOllopEIreNde 
Sparrow-Hawk. 
A common, stationary species, breeding in all our counties, 
