WHISTLING HA WKS. 
241 
attains a length of 194, and the female of 23 inches. The goshawk has a 
range nearly the same as that of the sparrow-hawk, although it does not appear 
to descend from the Himalaya to the plains of India. In North America it is 
replaced by the American goshawk (A. atricapillus), distinguished by its slightly 
superior size, and by the plumage of the under-parts being merely flecked with 
ashy grey, instead of barred. Although rare in Britain, the goshawk is common in 
Germany and other parts of the Continent, breeding as far north as Lapland. 
Instead of “ stooping ” to its quarry, after the manner of the falcons, the goshawk 
flies along after it, and takes by the mode technically known as “ raking.” It is 
flown at the larger game-birds, as well as at hares and rabbits; and will not 
tfnfrequently follow its- prey for some distance in covert. The nest is usually built 
in a tall tree on the outskirts of a wood or forest; and may contain from three 
to four eggs, which are white, and may be either unspotted, or more or less 
streaked with olive, or flecked with reddish brown. 
Nearly allied to the goshawks is a group of African species (one 
Whistling Hawks. . . 1 , . 1 . v 
of which is represented on the right side of the illustration on 
p. 246), characterised by the possession of a more tuneful voice than hawks in 
general. By recent observers the note of these birds is described as a mellow 
piping whistle; and, accordingly, it seems better that they should be designated 
whistling hawks, rather than “ chanting goshawks,” as they were originally termed, 
when somewhat exaggerated notions obtained as to the extent of their vocal 
powers. These hawks differ from the goshawks by the presence of a tubercle in 
the nostrils, situated near the upper margin; while they are distinguished from an 
allied South American genus by the small extent to which the metatarsus is 
feathered, and by the whole of the outer side of that segment of the leg being 
covered with reticulate scales. 
The many-zoned hawk ( Melierax polyzonus), which is the species represented 
in our illustration, is a large and handsomely-coloured bird inhabiting North- 
Eastern Africa, and ranging thence across the continent to Senegambia. The males 
measure 204 inches, and the females 21 inches in length. Like all the species save 
one, the general colour of the upper-parts is pearly grey, the chest ashy grey, and 
the abdomen white, barred with a number of very flne greyish black bands, so as 
to present a kind of speckled appearance. The species is particularly characterised 
by the absence of bars on the middle tail-feathers, and the white upper tail-coverts 
barred with slaty grey. The bill is blackish, with a vermilion base, the iris pale 
brown, and the legs, feet, and cere vermilion. A nearly allied species is the 
South African whistling hawk (M. canorus ); but the much smaller and widely 
distributed black whistling hawk (if. niger) differs from all the others by its sable 
plumage, in striking contrast to which stands out the brilliant red of the iris, cere, 
base of the bill, and feet and legs. In Abyssinia the figured species is found at 
considerable elevations above the sea. Mr. Blanford states that it is usually to be 
seen perched on a tree, although occasionally on the ground; and that its food 
consists of reptiles and insects. Its flight is rather slow, and somewhat like that 
of a buzzard, and is seldom prolonged for any great distance. 
Omitting; mention of three unimportant genera, two of which 
H3i!rri6r*Hd<wks * 
’ are South American and the other West African, we come to the 
VOL. iv. —16 
