all 
26 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 
“Tn another nest were four young birds covered with buff-col- 
ored down, their legs and feet of a pale yellowish fiesh-color, the 
bill light-blue, and the eyes. pale-gray. ‘They differed greatly in 
size, one being quite small compared with the rest. I am of ° 
opinion that few breed to the south of the State of Maine.” 
I once witnessed an attempt of this bird to capture a 
common gray squirrel, that was quite interesting to the 
‘beholder, but certainly not to the animal. While on a col- 
lecting excursion, a few miles from Boston, as I was seated 
beneath a huge oak, observing the movements of some small 
birds, I heard the barking of a squirrel; and, while looking 
for his whereabouts, I suddenly heard a whistling sound as 
of a body falling through the air, and, as quick as thought, 
; &@ Goshawk struck on the limb, on the spot where, a second 
before, the squirrel had been seated: luckily for the squirrel, 
the hawk missed his aim, the animal giving a sudden dodge 
beneath the limb the moment the hawk appeared. All 
who are acquainted with the habits of this quadruped 
know that it is very successful in dodging behind the limb 
of a tree, and hugging it closely. The hawk sat a few 
moments, apparently surprised at his disappointment, when, 
suddenly launching into the air, he espied it beneath the 
limb, hugging for dear life. As soon as he had moved, 
the squirrel turned adroitly on the limb, still keeping it 
between itself and its enemy. After several trials, the 
hawk always alighting and remaining perched on the limb a 
few seconds, he succeeded, by a dexterous feint, in securing 
his prey, when, on the instant, I fired, bringing the hawk 
and his victim to the ground. The hawk dropped dead; 
but the squirrel, after lying on the ground a moment, got 
up, and staggered off beneath a pile of rocks, and I neither 
saw nor heard any thing more of it. 
ACCIPITER, BRISSON. 
Accipiter, Brisson, Orn., I. 310 (1760). 
General form more slender and smaller than Astur, but otherwise similar; wings 
short, tail long, tarsi long and slender, frequently with the scales in front nearly 
