60 THE GOSHAWK HEN HARRIER. 



habitants denominate Shaheen ; and which is of so fierce and coura- 

 geous a disposition, that it will attack any Bird, however large 01 

 powerful , which presents itself. " Were there not (says Dr. Eussel, in 

 his account of Aleppo) several gentlemen now in England, to beai 

 witness to the fact, I should hardly venture to assert that, with this 

 bird, which is about the size of a Pigeon, the inhabitants sometimes 

 take large Eagles. This Hawk, in former times, was taught to seize 

 the Eagle under the pinion, and thus depriving him of the use of one 

 wing, both birds fell to the ground together; but I am informed thai 

 the present mode is to teach the Hawk to fix on the back, between the 

 wings, which has the same effect, only that, the bird tumbling down 

 more slowly, the falconer has more time to come to his Hawk's 

 assistance ; but in either case, if he be not very expeditious, the Falcon 

 is inevitably destroyed. 



" I never saw the Shaheen fly at Eagles, that sport having been dis- 

 used before my time ; but I have often seen him take Herons and 

 Storks. The Hawk, when thrown off, flies for some time in a 

 horizontal line, not six feet from the ground, then mounting perpen- 

 dicularly, with astonishing swiftness, he seizes his prey under the wing, 

 and both together come tumbling to the ground. If the falconer, 

 however, be not expeditious, the game soon disengages itself and 

 escapes." 



THE GOSHAWK. 



The Goshawk is found plentifully in most of the wooded districts o4 

 Europe, but is comparatively rare in the British Isles. It seldom 

 breeds south of Scotland, but its nest is not unfrequently found in thai 

 country, built upon lofty trees, principally firs, and containing three 

 eggs of a bluish white color with reddish brown marks. When it 

 pursuit of prey, it strikes its victim to the ground by the force witl 

 vhich it dashes through the air. Should the terrified quarry hide 

 itself, the Goshawk takes up its station on some elevated spot, anc 

 Ihere patiently waits until the game takes wing. Its principal fooc 

 -consists of Hares, Squirrels, Pheasants, and other large Birds, whicl 

 its great strength enables it to destroy. Its length is about two feet ; 

 the fourth primary feather is the longest. 



THE HEN HARRIEE. 



The Hen Harrier is about seventeen inches long, and three feel 

 wide. Its bill is black, and cere yellow. The upper parts of its bodj 

 %re of a bluish gray : and the back of the head, the breast, belly, 

 and thighs are white ; the two former marked with dusky streaks 

 The two middle feathers of the tail are gray, and the outer webs of 

 the others are of the same color ; but the inner ones are marked witt 

 Alternate bars of white and rust-color. The legs are long, slender 

 and yellow ; and the claws black. 



