238 EEMIXISCENCES OF A SPORTSM.iX. 



One great point in its favour, however, is the fact that 

 it may be used even in a thickly enclosed country, 

 where it would be useless to attempt to fly the pere- 

 grine. The peculiar flight of the goshawk, combined 

 with the great elasticity of its feathers, enables it to 

 make its way through thick cover without injury to it- 

 self. Above the eyes there is also an additional protec- 

 tion in the shape of a projecting cartilage, which is 

 stronger and more prominent than that with which the 

 falcons are provided. If, combined with this degree of 

 speed, the bird has sufficient strength to hold a full 

 grown rabbit, as much may be done with it as can be 

 expected from any goshawk. The male of this bird is 

 far more active than the female on the wing ; it has 

 even been sometimes known to take strong partridges.* 



Some years ago, Mr. Birch, of Bretham in Norfolk, 

 had a bird of this description. One of the authors of 

 " Falconry in the British Isles " was induced by the en- 

 couragement and assistance of Mr. Barker to try one of 

 the birds. This gentleman, during a residence of many 

 years in Syria, where this species is in higli favour, was 

 accustomed to use the goshawk, and has taken in one 

 day three hares with an old favourite female bird, which 

 he kept for several years. With the same bird also he 

 has taken in a couple of days as many as forty-two 

 francolins in the second flight. 



The francolin, it must be remarl^pd, however, is not 

 nearly as strong upon the wing as our English partridge, 

 nor are the hares so large. To sum up the good and 



* In the spring of 1850, a newspaper gave an account of the courage 

 of a hen in defending her brood of chickens against the attack of a hawk. 

 The hawk made a stoop at the chickens, folly expecting to carry off one 

 of them, when the hen made a furious attack, and killed him on the 

 spot. This occurred on the fai-m of ]Mr. Thomas Nelson, of Dial House. 



