286 ASH-COLOURED, OR BLACK-CAP HAWK. 
legs, feathered half way down, and, with the feet, of a yellow 
colour ; whole lower parts and femorals, white, most elegantly 
speckled with line transverse pencilled zigzag lines of dusky, 
all the shafts being a long black line ; vent, pure white. 
If this be not the celebrated Goshawk , formerly so much 
esteemed in falconry, it is very closely allied to it. I have 
never myself seen a specimen of that bird in Europe, and the 
descriptions of their best naturalists vary considerably; but, 
from a careful examination of the figure and account of the 
Goshawk, given by the ingenious Mr Bewick, (Brit. Birds , 
vol. i. p. 65,) I have very little doubt that the present will be 
found to be the same. 
The Goshawk inhabits France and Germany ; is not very 
common in South Britain, but more frequent in the northern 
parts of the island, and is found in Russia and Siberia. 
Buffon, who reared two young birds of this kind, a male and 
female, observes, that “ the Goshawk, before it has shed its 
feathers, that is in its first year, is marked on the breast and 
belly with longitudinal brown spots ; but after it has had two 
moultings they disappear, and their place is occupied by 
transverse waving bars, which continue during the rest of its 
life ; ” he also takes notice, that though the male was much 
smaller than the female, it was fiercer and more vicious. 
Mr Pennant informs us, that the Goshawk is used by the 
Emperor of China in his sporting excursions, when he is 
usually attended by his grand falconer, and a thousand of 
inferior rank. Every bird has a silver plate fastened to its 
foot, with the name of the falconer who has charge of it, that, 
in case it should be lost, it may be restored to the proper per- 
son ; but, if he should not be found, the bird is delivered to 
another officer, called “the guardian of lost birds,” who, to make 
his situation known, erects his standard in a conspicuous place 
among the army of hunters. The same writer informs us, that 
he examined, in the Leverian Museum, a specimen of the Gos- 
hawk which came from America, and which was superior in 
size to the European. He adds, “they are the best of all 
Hawks for falconry.” # 
Arctic Zoology, p. 204. 
