4 CASSELLS BOOK Ol<" BIRDS. 



of game, particularly Quails ; in the southern districts of the Ural, according to Eversmann, large 

 numbers caught in the summer are trained for this purpose, and after having been employed during 

 the autumn are again let loose in order to avoid the difficulty of keeping them through the winter 

 months. The female alone is reared for the chase, the male, when captured, being allowed to fly 

 again, as useless. In India this bird and another species are regarded with equal favour, and are 

 employed by the native falconers in the pursuit of Partridges, Quails, Snipes, Pigeons, and Minas. 







THE GOS HAWK (Astur palumbariiis). 



THE TRUE HAWK, OR GOS HAWK. 

 The True Hawk, or Gos Hawk (Astur palumbariiis) resembles the Sparrow Hawk in many of 

 its features, but differs from that bird in the compactness of its body, and in the strength of its beak ; 

 the tail is rounded, the feet powerful, and the plumage peculiarly marked. This Hawk is about one 

 foot and three-quarters in length, and three feet and a half across ; the wing measures twelve inches, 

 and the tail eight and a half; the female is five inches longer and six inches broader than her mate. 

 The plumage upon the upper part of the body is blackish brown, more or less shaded with greyish 

 blue ; the lower portions are white, the shafts of the feathers being brownish black, as are the 

 undulating lines with which they are ornamented; the beak is greyish brown, the cere, eyes, and 

 feet pale yellow. In young birds the upper portion of the body is brown, each feather being 



