AMERICAN GOSHAWK. 145 



ASTUR ATRICAPILLUS. 

 AMERICAN GOSHAWK. 



Falco atricapillus, Wils. Am. Orn. vi. p. 80, pi. 52. fig. 3 (1812) ; et auctorum plur - 

 morum ( Gray), (Kaup), (Bonaparte), ( Cassin), (Newton), (Sharpe), (Dresser), &c. 

 Spardus atricapillus (Wils.), Bonn, et Vieill Enc. Meth. iii. p. 1274 (1823). 

 Hierofalco atricapiUus ( Wils.'), Cue. Regne An. i. p. 323 (1829). 

 Astur atricapillus (Wik.), Bonap. R. A. Cuv. Oss. p. 33(1830). 

 Falco regalis, Temm. PI. Col. i. pi. 495 (1830). 

 Daedalion pictum, Less. Traite, p. 67 (1831). 



Astur palumbarius, var. atricapillus ( Wils.), Ridg. N. Anwr. B. iii. p. 237 (1874). 

 A^tur palumbarius (Linn.), apud Sicainson fy Richardson, (Audubon), &c. 



The claim of the American Goshawk to be considered a British bird 

 rests upon three examples. The first was obtained in 1869 by Mr. Robert 

 Gray, at Brechm, in Forfarshire, from a bird-stuffer, who said it had been 

 shot by a keeper on the flanks of Sheechallin, in Perthshire : Mr. Gray 

 describes it as having the breast and underparts an almost uniform grey, 

 but showing, on closer inspection, faint transverse markings and a thin 

 longitudinal streak in the centre of each feather (see Gray's ' Birds of 

 "W. of Scotland/ p. 39). The second example is recorded in the 'Ibis' 

 for 1870, p. 538, by Sir Victor Brooke : he states that it was shot in the 

 February of that year in the Galtee Mountains, Tipperary, and that he 

 had carefully compared it with an American specimen in the Dublin 

 Society's collection. The third example is recorded by Mr. A. Basil 

 Brooke in the ' Zoologist ' for 1871, p. 2525 : after referring to the 

 previously mentioned example, he adds that a second specimen was after- 

 wards shot near Parsons Town, King's County. All three examples are 

 said to be adult females. 



It breeds throughout Arctic America and the northern portions of the 

 United States. In its habits and in the colouring of its eggs it does not 

 differ from the Palsearctic species, of which Ridgway considers it a mere 

 variety. 



The American Goshawk is very nearly allied to our Goshawk, but is 

 apparently a distinct species. It has been said to be greyer on the upper 

 parts and blacker on the head. In a large series of skins these differences 

 do not appear to hold good, being apparently dependent upon age and 

 season, and found equally in European and American birds. The great 

 difference is in the pattern of colour on the feathers of the underparts, 

 especially those, on the breast and flanks. In the European bird the dark 

 markings take the form of distinct transverse bars, whilst in the American 

 bird the feathers are irregularly marbled with brown. 



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