THE GOSHAWK 353 



I know a place in Southern Germany, a sandy, raised 

 piece of ground, in the middle of a wood, near the point 

 of a peninsula, where only high fir-trees are ; and there 

 the bold Goshawk has his bulky nest which he uses year 

 after year. On a clearing close to the Goshawk's nest 

 there lie innumerable remains of Starlings and young 

 hares. The Starlings fear him greatly; when he comes 

 gliding low in pursuit of his quarry over the marshy 

 ground beyond his wood, they keep close to the Crows, 

 which are numerous on this peninsula. They feed with 

 these birds whenever the Goshawk is in their neighbour- 

 hood, knowing that the Crows will attack him sturdily. 

 During the skirmish with the Crows, the knowing 

 Starlings make away from the scene. 



The Goshawk punishes that bad but beautiful bird,, 

 the Jay, who does more harm here than the Sparrow- 

 Hawk and all the three species of Butcher-birds put 

 together. The Sparrow-Hawk attacks the Jay also; but 

 he only gets the better of him after a long struggle, 

 whereas the Goshawk punishes quickly. 



As I stood under the high fir-tree from which a pair 

 of Goshawks took flight on my approach, one of the 

 sudden thunderstorms common to the neighbourhood 

 at this time of year broke overhead, and I had to shelter 

 long, so that I had time to marvel at the great quantity 

 of creatures these birds had taken to their family larder-- 

 hares, starlings, pigeons, ducks, and poultry of all sizes. 

 The farmer here dreads it more than he does any other 

 bird of prey, and we have no cause to regret its ceasing 

 to build in our midst. A male and a female bird were: 

 caught in a trap in the forest of Rowland, Lancashire^ 

 about the year 1835; now only an occasional bird is ta 

 be seen. 



