AMERICAN GOSHAWK. . 145 
ASTUR ATRICAPILLUS. 
AMERICAN GOSHAWK. 
Falco atricapillus, Wils. Am. Orn. vi. p. 80, pl. 52. fig. 3 (1812); et auctorum plur - 
morum—( Gray) ,(Kaup),( Bonaparte),( Cassin) ,( Newton), (Sharpe),( Dresser), &e. 
Sparvius atricapillus (Wels.), Bonn. et Vieil. Enc. Méth. iii. p. 1274 (1823). 
Hierofalco atricapillus ( Wils.), Cuv. Regne An. i. p. 323 (1829). 
Astur atricapillus ( Wils.), Bonap. R. A. Cuv. Oss, p. 33 (1830). 
Falco regalis, Temm. Pl. Col. i. pl. 495 (1830). 
Deedalion pictum, Less. Traité, p. 67 (1831). 
Astur palumbarius, var. atricapillus (Wis.), Ridg. N. Amer. B. iii. p. 237 (1874). 
Astur palumbarius (Zinn.), apud Swainson § Richardson, (Audubon), &e. 
The claim of the American Goshawk to be considered a British bird 
rests upon three examples. The first was obtained in 1869 by Mr. Robert 
Gray, at Brechin, in Forfarshire, from a bird-stuffer, who said it had been 
shot by a keeper on the flanks of Sheechallin, in Perthshire: Mr. Gray 
describes it as having the breast and underparts an almost uniform grey, 
but showing, on closer inspection, faint transverse markings and a thin 
longitudinal streak in the centre of each feather (see Gray’s ‘Birds of 
W. of Scotland,’ p. 39). The second example is recorded in the < Ibis’ 
for 1870, p. 538, by Sir Victor Brooke: he states that it was shot in the 
February of that year in the Galtee Mountains, Tipperary, and that he 
had carefully compared it with an American specimen in the Dublin 
Society’s collection. The third example is recorded by Mr. A. Basil 
Brooke in the ‘ Zoologist’ for 1871, p. 2525: after referring to the 
previously mentioned example, he adds that a second specimen was after- 
wards shot near Parsons Town, King’s County. All three examples are 
said to be adult females. 
It breeds throughout Arctic America and the northern portions of the 
United States. In its habits and in the colouring of its eggs it does not 
differ from the Palzearctic species, of which Ridgway considers it a mere 
variety. 
The American Goshawk is very nearly allied to our Goshawk, but is 
apparently a distinct species. It has been said to be greyer on the upper 
parts and blacker on the head. Ina large series of skins these differences 
do not appear to hold good, being apparently dependent upon age and 
season, and found equally in European and American birds. The great 
difference is in the pattern of colour on the feathers of the underparts, 
especially those on the breast and flanks. In the European bird the dark 
markings take the form of distinct transverse bars, whilst in the American 
bird the feathers are irregularly marbled with brown. 
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