122 British Birds, with their Nests and Eggs. 



become ver}^ rare, and lie was unable to obtain a specimen. However, R. Gray, 

 writing in 1871, saj^s : — "Within a comparatively recent period I have known the 

 Gos-Hawk to breed in Kirkcudbrightshire, in which district my correspondent 

 Mr. Tottenham Lee, Junr., who was quite familiar with all the British birds of 

 prey, repeatedly saw the birds fl}'ing about. Under the observation of that gentle- 

 man a pair of Ravens were turned out of their nest by two Gos-Hawks, who 

 appropriated it to their o\\ti use, and a second nest, built not far from this locality, 

 was situated in a tree." Game preservers ma}^ congratulate themselves that there 

 are no Gos-Hawks resident at the present da}- in this country, for it would go 

 badl\- with their hares and Pheasants if there were. Reported nests of the Gos- 

 Hawk in the south of England were without doubt all mistakes ; some other bird, 

 the female Peregrine, most probably, having been confounded with it, although 

 this Haivk is a very distinct bird, with its short rounded wing and long tail, from 

 the noble Falcon. 



The Gos-Hawk is a bird of the large woodlands, not, however, restricting 

 itself to them in hunting for its prey, but sallying forth, and especially in the 

 autumn and winter, to scour the open country for Partridges and hares, often 

 making a raid upon farm yards to take toll of the poultry and Pigeons. Almost 

 everj'thing in the shape of feather and fur, big or small, affords it a quarry, mice, 

 small birds, hares, rabbits. Pheasants, etc., and in spite of its short wings it has 

 a swift and powerful flight. 



Mr. Joseph Wolf, the distinguished artist who, in his boyhood's home in the 

 Ardennes was verj^ familiar with the Gos-Hawk, terms it a " brute," as it cruelly 

 strikes down any bird that it comes across, irrespective of any need to satisfy its 

 hunger. Fresh from slaughter in the poultry-j^ard, it will piirsue and kill some 

 Little Owl that ma}- unfortunatel}' be taking a short flight, and may cross its path. 

 Lord Lilford's trained Gos-Hawks were always ready and eager to fl}^ at Bam-Owls 

 when they had the chance. 



In the old days of Falconr}- the Gos-Hawk was trained and did service in 

 pursuing and capturing rabbits, which were given as food to the nobler Falcons 

 whose quarrj' was taken in the air, and for this reason the Gos-Hawks used to 

 be termed the " cooks," as upon them mainly depended the larder of the Hawking 

 establishment. In the modern revival of Hawking many Gos-Hawks are sent to 

 this countrj' from German}- ; the female birds are the ones usually trained, and 

 sometimes provide excellent sport in flying after rabbits and hares, and also 

 Pheasants and Partridges. The writer received a strong impression of the sharp- 

 ness of a female Gos-Hawk's mandibles whilst watching a trained bird devouring 

 a large rat given to her for her meal. Holding it firmly with her feet, she cut 



