THE GOSHAWK. 507 



this and the following species have but three toes; yet the 

 one hind toe seems to be as good as two, for these birds 

 move along the bark of the trees about as readily as the 

 rest of the family. Dr. C. Hart Merriam records a nest with 

 eggs, from the eastern border of Lewis Co., N. Y. It was in a 

 spruce tree, about 8 feet from the ground, the cavity being 

 some 10 inches deep. " The eggs are cream- white, and of a 

 texture like those of other Woodpeckers. They are strongly 

 ovate in outline (the largest diameter being near the large 

 end), and measure respectively 23. 8 X 17.2 m. m., 23.6X17.8 

 m. m., 23.8X17.9 m. m., and 23 X 17.8 m. m." This species 

 resides from Northern -New York and Northern New Eng- 

 land to the arctics. It does not appear to be numerous, how- 

 ever, at any point. 



Of about the same habitat, only inclined, perhaps, to wan- 

 der further south in winter, is the Black-backed Woodpecker 

 (Picoides arcticus). In size it is about the same, and also in 

 color, except that it lacks the white band on the back. This 

 species is rather more numerous than the former; and, like 

 it, has a very rough rattling note. They keep strictly to the 

 deep forests, but do not appear to be very shy. 



THE GOSHAWK. 



The Goshawk (Astur atricapillus], or Blue Hawk, as it is 

 called there, breeds not uncommonly in Nova Scotia. 

 Female, some 23.00 in length, and 45.00 in extent; male, 

 some 21.00 in length, and 41.00 in extent. In color the 

 sexes are quite similar; bluish-ash above, the feathers cen- 

 trally lined and edged with sooty-brown; wings very dark, 

 outer webs of secondaries, and somewhat in the primaries, 

 bluish-ash; inner webs of the primaries, and in parts of the 

 secondaries, broadly barred with whitish; tail barred with 

 spots of dark-brown and edged with white; uniform bluish- 



