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GOSHAWK. 



Accipiter atricapillus. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Adult.— Above dark lead color, with blackish shaft streaks; 

 top of head black; white stripe over eye, and more or less 

 indistinct about occiput (back of head); tail has four or ftve 

 indistinct blackish bars; ends of tail feathers whitish; lower 

 parts pale ashy white, with a faint leaden tint, sharply 

 streaked with blackish and finely mottled or barred with white. 

 Iris, reddish amber. 



Immature. — Dark bruwn or grayish above, the feathers 

 edged and spotted with whitish and pale reddish-brown; 

 lower parts yellowish-white and marked with blackish spots 

 ur narrow stripes. Iris yellowish. 



Length about 25 inches; extent, about 46; tail about V2Vz- 

 Tho male is smaller. 



Habitat. — Xorthern and eastern North America, breeding 

 moslly north of the United States. Resident in a few of the 

 higher and wonded mountainous regions of Pennsylvania. 



The Goshawk is not common in this State. Usually 

 this fierce, powerful and predatory bird confines him- 

 self to the mountainous and heavily wooded regions. 

 It is rather exceptional for these birds to be found in 

 the populous farming districts and when they are seen 

 in such places it is generally during severe winters, 

 when their favorite mountain retreats are visited by 

 heavy falls of snow. 



Hunters and woodsmen know the adults of this spo- 

 ries by the name of "Big Blue Hawk." Audubon 

 found the Goshawk breeding in the Great Pine Swamp 

 in this State. 



Some twenty-five year.s ago these hawks, it is said, 

 were veiy frequently seen during all seasons in the 

 (counties of Cameron, Warren, Elk. Potter, Wyoming. 

 Forest. McKean. and Sullivan, where they then, no 

 doubt, bred regularly. Mr. ^T. M. Larraltec. of Km 

 poiiuiii. ('anicioii coutity, says lie always saw Gos- 



