2004 



THE DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY 



writers, like Messrs. Seebohm and Bendire, unite the two genera. In general 

 appearance the European goshawk is, indeed, very like a large sparrow hawk; 

 having, in the male, the plumage of the upper parts of a deep bluish gray, darker 

 on the head and neck, with a light band above the eye; while beneath it is white 

 transversely barred with grayish brown; the tail having four dark bars, and a white 

 tip. In the female the upper plumage has a browner tinge; while the young bird 

 is brown above, with five dark bars on the tail. The color of the beak, cere, and 

 limbs is nearly the same as in the sparrow hawk. The male attains a length of 

 nineteen and one-half, and the female of twenty-three inches. The goshawk has a 

 range nearly the same as that of the sparrow hawk, although it does not appear to 



ADUI/T GOSHAWK RABBIT HAWKING. 



descend from the Himalayas to the plains of India. In North America it is replaced 

 by the American goshawk (A. atricapillus) , distinguished by its slightly superior 

 size, and by the plumage of the under parts being merely flecked with ashy gray, 

 instead of barred. Although rare in Britain, the goshawk is common in Germany 

 and other parts of the Continent, breeding as far north as Lapland. Instead of 

 "stooping" to its quarry, after the manner of the falcons, the goshawk flies along 

 after it, and takes by the mode technically known as "raking." It is flown at the 

 larger game birds, as well as at hares and rabbits, and will not unfrequently follow 

 its prey for some distance in covert. The nest is usually built in a tall tree on the 



