THE GOSHAWRE. 257 
When trained, the Goshawk is best employed at-hares, rabbits, and other 
furred game, and in this particular sport is unrivalled. Its mode of hunting 
is singularly like that of the chetah, which has already been mentioned on 
page 50. Like that animal, it is not nearly so swift as its prey, and therefore 
is obliged to steal upon them, and seize its victim by a sudden and unex- 
pected pounce. When it has once grasped its prey it is rarely found to 
eae hold, even after the most violent struggles or the most furious 
attack. 
This species is found spread over nearly the whole of Europe and Asia, 
and has also been seen in Northern Africa. The nest of this bird is 
generally placed on the topmost boughs of some lofty tree, and the eggs are 
of a uniform spotless blue-white. Their number is from three to four, and 
the young are hatvhed about May or the beginning of June. 
In colour, the adult birds of both sexes are very similar to each other, 
the tinting ot the plumage being briefly as follows. The top of the head 
and the entire upper portions of the body and wings are grey-brown, and 
the under portions of the body, together with a band over the cheeks and 
the back of the neck, are nearly white, diversified with numerous irregular 
spots, splashes, and partial bars of black. The cheeks and ear-coverts are 
dark greyish brown, the upper surface of the tail is the same hue as the 
back, and barred with dark brown ; the under tail-coverts are white. The 
cere, legs, and toes are yellow, the claws black, and the beak blue-black. 
In the female the grey-brown of the back is a more ruddy hue, and in 
the young the plumage is curiously diversified with reddish white, buff, 
and grey. 
THE well-known SPARROW HAWK is almost as familiar to us as the 
kestrel, the two birds being, indeed, often confounded with each other by 
those who ought to know better. This fine and active little bird is an 
inhabitant of many portions of the world, being very common in nearly all 
parts of Europe, equally so in Egypt and Northern Africa, and being very 
frequently found in India and other Asiatic countries. 
The courage of the Sparrow Hawk is of the most reckless character, for 
the bird will fly unhesitatingly at almost any other inhabitant of air, no 
matter what its size may be. 
In consequence of the headlong courage possessed by this handsome 
little hawk, it is very valuable to the falconer if properly trained, for it will 
dash at any quarry which may be pointed out to it. Unfortunately, how- 
ever, the Sparrow Hawk is one of the most difficult and refractory,of pupils, 
being shy to a singular degree, slow at receiving a lesson and quick at 
forgetting it. Besides, its temper is of 2 very crabbed and uncertain nature, 
and it is so quarrelsome, that if several of these birds should be fastened to 
the same perch, or placed in the same cage, they will certainly fight each 
other, and, in all probability, the conqueror will eat his vanquished foe. 
Such an event has actually occurred; the victrix—for it was a female— 
killing and devouring her intended spouse. 
One of these birds afforded an excellent example of the shyness above 
mentioned. Although he was most kindly treated and liberally fed, he used 
to scream in the most ear-piercing manner when approached, even by the 
person who generally carried his food. The only companion whose presence 
he would tolerate was a little Skye terrier, named Rosy, and the two 
strangely matched comrades used to execute the most singular gambols 
together, the dog generally taking the initiative and persecuting the Hawk, 
until she forced him to fly. 
The nest of the Sparrow Hawk is placed in some elevated spot, and 
contains three or four eggs, rather variable in their marking, but always 
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