The Goshawk is a large and 
magnificent bird; sometimes, but 
not very often, seen in England. 
It is good at the cliase, but better 
adapted to pursue quadrupeds 
than birds; and in tlie cliase of 
bares and rabbits is not to be 
equalled. Its bunting is singularly 
like that of the cbetab, which has 
already been mentioned in the 
volume on the Mammalia. 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 
unexpected pounce. When it has 
once grasped its prey it is rarely 
found to loose its hold, even by 
the most violent struggles or the 
most furious attack. The gripe 
is so enormously powerful, that 
a Goshawk has often been ob- 
served to pounce upon a large 
hare, and to maintain its hold 
even though the animal sprang 
high into the air, and then rolled 
upon the ground in the vain hope 
of shaking off his feathered an- 
tagonist. Only the female bird 
is able to cop£ with- so powerful a 
creature as a full-grown hare or 
rabbit, for the male, although 
more swift of wing, and therefore 
GOSHAW K .—Astur palumbdrius. 
better adapted for chasing birds than the female, is comparatively feeble. When 
it has once seized its prey, it is full of exultation, and being generally rather of a 
ferocious disposition, is apt to turn savagely upon the hand that attempts to remove 
it from its victim. Its temper, indeed, is so bad, that if it should happen to 
escape from its bonds and get among other Ealcons it will almost certainly 
attack and kill as many of them as it can reach. For the same reason it needs to be 
kept constantly hooded, and is less to be trusted at liberty than any other Falcon. 
23 
