122 BriTISH BIRDS, WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 
become very rare, and he was unable to obtain a specimen. However, R. Gray, 
writing in 1871, says:—‘‘ 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 flying 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 own use, and a second nest, built not far from this locality, 
was situated in a tree.” Game preservers may congratulate themselves that there 
are no Gos-Hawks resident at the present day in this country, for it would go 
badly 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 Hawk 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 
everything 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 very 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-yard, it will pursue and kill some 
Little Owl that may unfortunately be taking a short flight, and may cross its path. 
Lord Lilford’s trained Gos-Hawks were always ready and eager to fly at Barn-Owls 
when they had the chance. 
In the old days of Falconry the Gos-Hawk was trained and did service in 
pursuing and capturing rabbits, which were given as food to the nobler Falcons 
whose quarry 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 country from Germany; 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 
