GOSHAWKS. 259 



main near the nest. The nest is, as far as my experience goes, 

 always in a fir, often on the edge of the forest, or at least 

 pretty open. The eggs, three, usually white-blue, but in 

 the eggs I have just mentioned, one was clear white, the 

 other two dashed faintly with red at the larger end; a 

 very little larger, and more pointed at the ends, than those 

 of the common buzzard. I have taken the eggs in South 

 Wermland, and also in Quickiock, Lapland. 



NTLsson remarks that, ' f in April the change of plumage 

 takes place, when among the feathers on the lower parts of 

 the body which characterize the younger bird (viz., ochre 

 yellow, with dark brown longitudinal streaks), white feathers 

 with dark brown transverse streaks, begin to show them- 

 selves." Now by this he clearly means the April of the year 

 after the bird was born, and as he includes both sexes of the 

 old birds in one description ' ' under white, with transverse 

 wavy streaks," and the young bird (f whitish, tinged with 

 rusty yellow, with dark brown longitudinal spots," he surely 

 means that both sexes when adults are characterized by 

 these wavy transverse (not longitudinal) lines on the breast, 

 which appear in the spring ensuing their birth. Now here 

 he is clearly wrong, for the old female which I mention, I am 

 certain from her size, is more than two years old, and there 

 is not the slightest indication of a transverse dark wavy line 

 on the breast ; all are longitudinal, and in every specimen 

 I have obtained (except one), this has been invariably the 

 case. 



The goshawk is by far the most destructive bird of prey 

 to the Scandinavian game. I have known them strike 

 down a capercaillie, and the hazel grouse appears to be their 

 favourite food. 



Subgen. Accipiter, Briss. 



Tarsi long and slender ; feathered only on the upper fourth 

 part. 



9. ACCIPITER NISUS, Briss. Sparf Hok. The Sparrow 

 Hawk. D. F. 



