BIRDS OF PREY 187 



reached the barn in safety and flew directly through a 

 crevice under the eaves. The pigeon knew its goal, but the 

 sharp-shin struck the side of the barn with fatal force. 



Many of our song birds and domestic fowl are killed by 

 this hawk. They are harmful to all birds, and every gunner 

 is justified in shooting this or any other accipiter on sight. 

 The female, as usual with hawks, is slightly larger than the 

 male. When breeding the birds are so retiring that one 

 rarely suspects their presence unless he examines the wood- 

 land closely. 



Mr. Richards tells me that these birds still exist in some 

 numbers about Norwich. Many of the nests he has found 

 forty to sixty feet above the ground in the highest conifer- 

 ous trees, bordering rocky gulHes or trout brooks. About 

 a fifth of the nests found were placed in deciduous trees, 

 usually in a large crotch; sometimes an old crow's nest is 

 fitted up and used. Sticks, roots, and bark enter into the 

 composition of the nests, which are large in diameter but 

 comparatively shallow. Three to five extremely handsome 

 eggs are laid. 



"Of 159 stomachs examined, 6 contained poultry or 

 game birds ; 99, other birds ; 6, mice ; 5, insects, and 52 were 

 empty." (Fisher.) 



GOSHAWK 



The Goshawk and the Western Goshawk are inhabitants 

 of the cooler portions of America. The former is found 

 from the Atlantic west to the plains. The general size of 

 this handsome raptor is about that of our red-shouldered or 

 red-tailed hawk, but in disposition it is as savage as the 



