GOSHAWK. 
161 
nal streaks ; on the thighs, the shafts only are 
dark, broadening gently toward the tips, and on 
the insides the feathers are spotless ; on the under 
tail coverts the shaft or marking is only con- 
spicuous at the tip, where it is of a spatulate form. 
Having now noticed the whole limited number 
of birds representing the sub-typical family of the 
Falconidse in Britain, we are about to enter the 
aberrant group, which exhibits more variation of 
structure ; but the species of this country which 
enter into the three sections composing it, are 
also so few, that it is impossible to detail the 
minute gradations of form, without the introduc- 
tion of numerous foreign birds, and we shall 
simply, therefore, state, that it contains birds of 
varied form and size, generally less active than 
those of the two preceding divisions; the bill 
more lengthened and never toothed ; the wings 
of intermediate length, but pointed, and more 
similar in structure to those of the Falcons, than 
of the Hawks. The Eagles, Harriers, and Kite 
like birds have been taken as representing the 
sub-families. — We commence with the 
L 
