GOSH A WKSPAEEOW-HA WKKITE. 71 



Food. Mammals, birds, especially sea-birds ; fish, refuse, 

 and carrion found on the sea-coast. 

 Nest. April. One brood. 



Site. On some inaccessible ledge of the sea-cliffs, or in trees. 

 Materials. Like the last. 

 Eggs. Two or three. Dull white, and unmarked. 



GOSHAWK (Astur palumbarius) . 



A rare visitor, usually occurring in autumn and winter, on 

 the east coasts of Scotland and England. In general appear- 

 ance like a large Sparrow-Hawk. Length 20 in. Female 

 larger, length 23 in. In language and habits it closely re- 

 sembles the Sparrow Hawk. 



SPAKROW-HAWK (Accipiter nisus). 



Resident. Well distributed throughout Great Britain in all 

 well-wooded parts ; essentially a woodland bird. 



Plumage. Upper parts slate-blue, with white patch on nape. 

 Under parts rufous white, transversely barred with dark brown. 

 Wings short. Tail greyish brown, barred with brownish black. 

 Bill blue; cere greenish yellow. Legs yellow. Length 13 in. 

 Female : upper parts brown, with white spot on nape ; under 

 parts greyish white, barred with dark grey. Length 15J in. 

 Young, at first covered with white down ; afterwards much 

 like the female. The plumage of this species varies con- 

 siderably. 



Language. A sharp, shrill cry. 



Habits. Fearless and dashing. When seeking its prey it 

 flies quickly along a hedgerow near the ground, dropping down 

 suddenly on some unsuspecting small bird or mammal. It 

 usually feeds on the ground, although it is very arboreal. 



Food. Small birds chiefly; also young rabbits, mice, and 

 moles. 



Nest. May. One brood. 



Site. At the top of some tall fir, or other tree, in a wood. 



Materials. Sticks and twigs, lined with moss. It often 

 adapts old Crows', Magpies', and Ring Doves' nests. 



Eggs. Four to six. Bluish white, blotched and spotted 

 with reddish brown of various shades. 



Genus MILVUS. 

 KITE (Milvus ictinus). 



Once a common resident, but nowadays, owing to pitiless 

 persecution, it has become rare, and will probably become 



