62 
FALCONIDiE. 
the island of Sphacteria, where the peregrine falcon also presented 
itself. The small size of the F. tinnunculoides readily marks its species 
to the ornithologist, with whom it at once becomes a favourite, and 
courts his attention almost like a pet bird. 
THE GOSHAWK. 
Astur palumbarius, Linn, (sp.) 
Falco „ ,, 
Cannot be included in the Irish Fauna with certainty. • 
Mr. Templeton, in his MS., remarked under “ Goshawk:” 
“ I have seen a young one, got at the rocks of Magilligan, county 
of Londonderry,” and " a specimen [is] in the Dublin Museum.” 
He noted also, under " Gentil Ealcon” (another name for the 
same species), "on the 25th of July, 1809, I saw at Carrickfergus 
a stuffed specimen that had been shot at the Gobbins.” 
I have no doubt that the peregrine falcon,* a bird to which 
both the names just used have occasionally been applied, and 
that still breeds at the Gobbins, is here meant. It likewise is 
probably the species alluded to, as at Magilligan, for nowhere are 
there rocks better suited to its eyrie. When I visited the loca- 
lity, in the summer of 1833, the common buzzard had a nest 
there. It is not stated where the specimen in the Dublin Muse- 
um was obtained. 
Bird preservers have told me of goshawks, killed in Ireland, 
having been sent to them to be set up, but the species has neither 
been seen by myself, nor by any of my correspondents throughout 
the island. It is not, however, by any means improbable that the 
bird may be an occasional visitant. 
* For the peregrine falcon being called goshawk, see that* species, p. 48, foot- 
note. The latter term is applied by the peasantry and others, (who should be better 
informed, to any of the larger Falconidse, such as the common buzzard, &c. 
