IO8 FALCONID^E : HAWKS. 



AMERICAN GOSHAWK. 



ASTUR ATRICAPILLUS (Wils.) Bp. 



Chars. Adult, dark bluish-slate blackening on the head, with a 

 white superciliary stripe ; tail with four broad dark bars ; below, 

 closely barred with white and pale slate, and sharply streaked 

 with blackish. Young, dark brown above, the feathers with pale 

 edges, streaked with tawny-brown on the head and cervix ; 

 below fulvous-white with oblong brown markings. Female 2 feet 

 Idng ; wing, 14 inches ; tail, 1 1 ; male smaller. A large, power- 

 ful, and, in perfect plumage, a very handsome hawk, inhabiting 

 northern North America ; the northern half of the United States 

 chiefly in winter. 



This noble hawk, one of the handsomest birds of the 

 family when in perfect plumage, is a decidedly boreal 

 species, entirely wanting in the southern portions of the 

 United States, appearing only in winter, and in small 

 numbers, in the middle districts, but common along our 

 northern frontier. According to the records examined, 

 it is, as a rule, rare in Southern New England, where, 

 however, it appears some winters in considerable num- 

 bers. Mr. Allen remarks that it was common in 

 Massachusetts in the winter of 1859-' 60; and Mr. 

 Samuels states that the same season he received a dozen 

 or fifteen specimens from the vicinity of Boston. The 

 only region in the United States where it is reported as 

 regularly resident is Northern New England, where, 

 both Mr. Boardman and Prof. Verrill state, it is of 

 common occurrence, and breeds. But it has been seen 

 in summer in Massachusetts, and doubtless breeds in 

 that State. Mr. Maynard describes the eggs as three 

 or four in number, rather spherical in shape, of a 



