SUBGENUS ASTUR LACEPEDE. 

 ACCIPITER ATRICAPILLUS (WiLS.). 



142. American Goshawk. (334) 



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 

 long; wing, 14 inches; tail, 11. Male,: Smaller. 



HAB. Northern and eastern North America, breeding mostly north of the 

 United States, south in winter to the Middle States. Accidental in England. 



Nest, in trees, composed of sticks, twigs and weeds, lined with grass and 

 strips of bark. 



Eggs, two or three, soiled white, sometimes faintly blotched with brown. 



The Goshawk and the Peregrine Falcon were both much prized in 

 the olden time when hawking was a princely amusement in Europe, 

 and the same spirit and courage which was the admiration of lords 

 and ladies fair in those ancient days still characterize the birds in 

 their native haunts. They never fail to attract the attention of the 

 sportsman, as, unencumbered by hood or bell r they carry terror and 

 dismay among the ranks of the water-fowl. 



