THE BIRDS OF PREY OF THE PUNJAB. 



133 



Jkntjs Astue. 

 Xo. 1243. Astur ]jalumbarius. The Goshawk. 



C/iaracteristics. 



Colouration. 



Measurements. 



HaUts, etc. 



to about half 

 to f length 



of the upper 



Size medium, length of female about 24 ", male 

 20 "; wing 14 " (female), 12" (male). Tip of prima- 

 ries in closed wing reaching only- 

 way down the tail. Bill from gape 

 of mid-toe, without claw. 



Variable. In old birds the whole 

 parts become a sort of ashy grey-brown, the feathers 

 having paler edges " The crown, area behind eye, 

 ear-coverts, and sides of neck darker, sometimes 

 almost black ; forehead, lores, long supercilia, and 

 nuchal patch uniting them behind streaked and mix- 

 ed with white ; quills brown above, whitish below, 

 with dark bars ; tail light brown or brown mottled with 

 white above, paler below, crossed by four broad 

 dark brown bars and tipped buffy white : lower parts 

 white, with blackish shafts and brown bars, which 

 become narrower and more numerous in older birds ; 

 lower tail-coverts white unbarred. Young birds are 

 brown above, most of the feathers edged or tipped 

 with buft'y white ; crown nape and hind-neck with 

 broad buff or pale rufous edges : quills as in the adult, 

 but with the barring more distinct above : tail with 

 five dark cross-bars and tipped with buff : lower parts 

 buff or pale rufous, with brown longitudinal oval 

 spots, each having a black shaft-line in the middle. 

 Nestlings are covered with pure white down." (Blan- 

 ford). 



" Bill bluish horny ; cere yellow Avith a greenish 

 tinge ; iris and legs yellow " (Blanford). 



Length of female 24 : tail 11 ; wing 14 ; tarsus 3-3 : 

 of a male — Length 20 ; tail 9-o ; wing 12'5 ; tarsus 3-2 

 (Blanford). 



The Goshawk is among the best known of the Indian 

 Raptores, not because he is common, but because he 

 is much sought after and far and away the best hawk 

 used in hawking. Every Indian Prince in whose 

 State falconry still survives does not consider his 

 menage complete without a Goshawk, and it is the 

 zenith of every Indian falconer's ambition to possess 

 one. Most Britishers would probably prefer a falcon, 

 as the spot shown by a hawk is in no way comparable 

 to that of a falcon, but for all that there is no denying 

 the qualities which combine to make the hawk, the 

 Goshawk m particular, the valuable bird it is, Rs. 150 

 to 200 being paid f -r a young female a few days 

 after it has been captured. 



The Goshawk, during the summer months, is a 

 dweller of the high mountain ranges and to be 

 found in the oak and spruce forests at elevations 

 from 9 to 11,000 ft. Like all true Hawks and Hawk- 

 Eagles, this species does most of its hunting from the 

 boughs of some thickly foliaged tree, usually pouncing 

 on ^its prey before the latter has realised its 



