4 02 THE AMERICAN GOSHAWK. 



Recognition Marks. Crow to Brant size ; adult slaty blue above, white 

 mottled with slaty gray below ; rather short, rounded wings ; white line over eye 

 distinctive. 



Nesting. Not known to breed in Ohio. Nest, high in trees, usually conifer- 

 ous, of sticks, twigs, and grass, lined with bark-strips and grass. Eggs, 2-5, 

 "white or glaucous white, sometimes very faintly marked with pale brownish/' 

 Av. size, 2.32 x 1.79 (58.9 x 45.5). 



General Range. Northern and eastern North America, south in winter to 

 the Middle States and southern Rocky Mountain region ; casually west to Oregon. 

 Accidental in England. Breeding range restricted to the Canadian Fauna of the 

 United States and northward. 



Range in Ohio. Not common winter visitor. 



THIS intrepid marauder of the north is not seen within the limits of 

 our state often enough to be clearly distinguished from its resident ally, 

 the Cooper Hawk. It is somewhat larger, with short, rounded wings, and a 

 tail superlatively long. Its wings are moved very rapidly in flight, and it is usu- 

 ally wary and restless, tho not unapproachable. The bird is even more ven- 

 turesome than the Cooper Hawk, and appears at times among the poultry 

 with the quickness of a meteor, carrying off the choicest of the flock before 

 the farmer's face and eyes. There is seldom anyone to call him to account, 

 and during the migrations at least, the "Blue Hawk" has less conscience than 

 a pirate. In former days, when the Ruffed Grouse was more abundant, his 

 tireless pursuit of this valuable game bird earned him the name of Partridge 

 Hawk, while in his native wilds in the far north he still feasts upon Grouse and 

 Ptarmigan, and is ready for anything up to the size of a Goose. 



On the 1 3th of March, 1901, I saw a gunner on the O. S. U. grounds 

 drop one of these birds from the top of an elm tree into the waters of the 

 Olentangy, where it was left to shift for itself. Not suspecting the value 

 of the kill I made a long detour and crossed the river in order to put the 

 Hawk out of its misery. Altho severely wounded, the bird, once rescued 

 from the drift, made a spirited fight, and was not despatched until its beau- 

 tiful plumage was quite ruined. A year later, within a day, another Goshawk 

 was narrowly observed with binoculars in the same bottom. 



