32 BRITISH BIRDS. 



first year, is marked on the breast and belly with 

 longitudinal brown spots ; but after it has had two 

 moultings they disappear, and their place is occu- 

 pied by transverse bars, which continue during the 

 rest of its life." He observes further, "that though 

 the male was much smaller than the female, it was 

 fiercer, and more vicious. Feeds on mice and 

 small birds, and eagerly devours raw flesh ; it 

 plucks the birds very neatly, and tears them into 

 pieces before it eats them, but swallows the pieces 

 entire ; and frequently disgorges the hair rolled up 

 in small pellets." 



The Goshawk is found in France and Germany ; 

 sometimes in England ; is common in North Ameri- 

 ca, Russia, and Siberia : in Chinese Tartary there is 

 a variety which is mottled with brown and yellow* 

 They are said to be used by the Emperor of China 

 in his sporting excursions, when he is usually 

 attended by his grand falconer, and a thousand 

 of inferior rank. Every bird has a silver plate 

 fastened to its foot, with the name of the falconer 

 who has the charge of it, that in case it should be 

 lost, it may be restored to the proper person ; but 

 if he should not be found, the bird is delivered to 

 another officer called the guardian of lost birds, who, 

 to make his situation known, erects his standard in 

 a conspicuous place among the army of hunters. 

 In former times, the custom of carrying a Hawk on 

 the hand was confined to men of high distinction ; 

 so that it was a saying among the Welsh, "you 

 may know a gentleman by his Hawk, horse, and 

 greyhound." Even the ladies in those times were 

 partakers of this gallant sport, and have been repre- 

 sented in sculpture with Hawks on their hands. 



