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GENUS ASTUR — CUVIER. 



HAWK. 



[In these birds, the lobe of the upper mandible is well defined ; tarsi slender f 

 tail long, rounded ; general form rather slender.] 



ASTUR PALUMBARIUS— LINN. 



GOSHAWK. 



Ash-colored or Black-capped Hawk, Falco atricapillus, Wils. Amer. Ow. 



Falco palumbarius, Bonap. Syn. 



American Goshawk, Falco atricapillus, Nutt. Man. 



Accipiter (Asiur) palumbarius, Sw. & Rich. 



Goshawk, Falco palumbarius, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character^ — Crown black, and a broad band behind the 

 eye brownish-black, over the eye a white band, the feathers along 

 the shafts black ; tarsi strong, feathered full half their length ; 

 tibial feathers very long, tail long and broad. Adult with the 

 upper part of the head, and a broad band behind the eye passing 

 round on the occiput, brownish-black ; a white band over the eyes ; 

 upper parts slate color ; the shafts black ; the tail with four broad 

 blackish-brown bands ; lower parts gray, closely barred with 

 white, the central part of the feathers dusky ; under tail-coverts 

 white, with a few grayish bands towards their bases. Young with 

 the upper parts brown, the feathers edged with reddish-white ; the 

 head and hind neck pale red, streaked with dark brown ; lower 

 parts yellowish-white, with oblong spots of dark brown. Length 

 of male twenty-four inches, wing thirteen and a quarter. 

 Female twenty -six inches, wing fourteen and three quarters. 



In the United States this is not a very common species. On 

 Long Island it is quite rare. An adult, now in my possession, was 

 shot in the township of Islip, in the summer of 1838. So seldom 

 is it seen in this vicinity, particularly in this state of plumage, that 

 it was entirely unknown to the inhabitants. 



" It is considered by Ornithologists identical with the Goshawk 

 of Europe, which for its strength and spirit was so much esteemed 

 in falconry." 



