GOSHAWK.
HEBOG MAETHIN, IN ANCIENT BRITISH.
Astur palumbarius, SELBY. GOULD. Falco palumbarius, PENNANT. MONTAGU. BEWICK.
Buteo palumbarius, FLEMING. Accipiter palumbarius, JENYNS.
Astur—A species of Hawk, {Julius Firminius Maiernus) conjectured from Asturia, in Spain. Palumbarius. Palumba—A Pigeon.

This species occurs in Europe, Asia, Africa, and perhaps in America; in the former, it has been known in Holland, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Greece and its islands, the latter in winter, Lapland, Russia as far as Kamschatka, Sweden, Germany, France, Italy, and Switzerland; in Asia, in China, Tartary, India, Palestine, Persia, and Siberia; and also in North America; and North Africa, in Algeria, according to some opinions.
The Goshawk, though a short-winged species, and differing therefore in its flight from those most esteemed in falcomy, was highly valued in that art, and flown at hares and rabbits, pheasants, partridges, grouse, ducks, geese, herons, and cranes.
In Yorkshire, the first occurrence of this bird on record was at Cusworth, near Doncaster, where one was killed in the year 1825, by the gamekeeper of W. B. Wrighton, Esq., M.P. One since near Driffield, in February, 1852. Another at the end of January, 1877, at Flam-borough, by a keeper of the Rev. Y. G. Lloyd-Greame, of Sewerby House. A fine specimen in immature plumage was shot at Westhorpe, near Stowmarket, in the county of Suffolk, on the 20th. of November, 1849. An adult male had been trapped by a gamekeeper in the same county, in the month of March, 1833, three others also of late years, and in November in the same year, another was obtained in the adjoining county of Norfolk: it had alighted on the rigging of a ship, and was brought into Yarmouth. An immature male Goshawk was killed near Bellingham, in Northumberland, in the month of October in the same year. A very fine female was shot at Bolam Bog, in the same county, on the 18th. of February, 1841. Another female near the Duke of Northumberland's Park, at Alnwick, in the same year; and again a fourth, also a female, was caught in a trap near Beddington, by the gamekeeper of Michael Langridge, Esq. : two others also. In Nottinghamshire it has occurred at Rufford in 1848. Also in Oxfordshire at Wroxton, Hanwell, and other places. Five examples in Suffolk, and eleven in Norfolk, have been recorded within some years. Dr. Moore records it as having been occasionally on Dartmoor, in Devonshire. One was caught near Egham, in Surrey, early in the year 1816, in the following curious manner:—It was perched upon a gate-post, so intently engaged in watching a flock of starlings, that it did not perceive the approach of a man who came behind it, and took it by its legs.
In the Orkney Islands it is not very unfrequently seen, according to Mr. Low in his 'Fauna Orcadensis,' and also Mr. Forbes : if the fact be so, it most probably occurs in the Hebrides also, but Mr. Yarrell doubts whether the Peregrine may not have been mistaken for it. So too in Shetland. In Ireland, Mr. Thompson, of Belfast, says that it cannot be authentically determined to have occurred, but it is since reported to have been met with at Longford, a male bird, and one in the County of Wicklow. In Scotland it seems to be indigenous, particularly in the central parts, in the Grampians of Aberdeenshire; and this account is confirmed by others as stated by Mr. St. John; and of his own knowledge in the forest of Darnaway; on the rivers Spey and Dee, where it has been said by Pennant to breed, and in the forest of Rothiemurcus, where it was known to do so, and in Glen-more. One was killed near Dalkeith; also in Caithness-shire. Some seven examples or more are on record, and it seems to have bred recently in Kirkcudbrightshire, and no doubt did formerly in the Counties of Forfar, Stirling, Moray, and Sutherland. In Wales also, at Glodclaeth.
Mountains as well as level districts are frequented by the Goshawk, but in either case it seems to prefer a variety of woodland and open country, and not to be partial either to the dense monotony of a forest, or the dangerous exposure of an open unsheltered plain. Mudie says that it also dwells in the rocky cliffs of the sea coast, but he gives no authorities for, or instances of this being the case.
In general habits this species is considered to resemble the Sparrow-Hawk. At night it roosts in coppice wood in preference to lofty trees, and the lower parts of such instead of the top, rarely on rocks in the more open parts of the country. 'When at rest,' says Meyer, 'he sits in a slouching attitude, with his back raised, and his head rather depressed, but does not drop his tail in the manner that some other birds of prey are in the habit of doing.' The Goshawk will at times attack the Eagle. The male is said to be a much more spirited bird than the female, and to have been on this account the rather valued in the gay science, though its training was more difficult than that of some other species. Great havoc is committed in preserves when the young ones are expecting food in the nest. At other seasons of the year the more open country may be traversed for its own supply by the Goshawk. Montagu was informed by Colonel Thornton that, at Thornville Royal, in Yorkshire, one was flown at a pheasant, and must have kept by it all night, for both were risen together by the falconer the next morning. Like several others, perhaps all of the Hawk kind, the one before us is the object of the persevering and unaccountable attacks of the Rooks. Who that has lived in the country has not seen this, and observed it even from childhood ? Yet there are those, whose lot has unfortunately been cast in towns, who have never seen even so common a sight as this. I well remember when travelling some years ago on a stage coach over the Dorsetshire Downs, a lady who was going down into Devonshire with her son from London, seeing some gleaners in a field, observed that they were the first she had seen that year : 'they are the first,' said the youth, 'that I have ever seen in my life !'
The Goshawk has great powers of flight, and its rapid and intricate movements among trees and cover give in one sense ample scope for their exercise and development. This bird for the most part flies low in pursuit of its prey, which it attacks from below or sideways, not from above like other Falcons, but occasionally it soars at a considerable elevation, wheeling round and round with extended tail, in slow and measured gyrations. After driving its game into a tree, bush, or other cover, it will watch outside until it is compelled to leave its place of refuge by hunger or fear, when of course it is snapped up; but, if the quarry should gain an advantage at the beginning of the chase, it is frequently relinquished altogether. Its flight is very quick, though its wings are short, and its game is struck in the air, if belonging to that element.
The food of the Goshawk, which is carried into its retreat in the woods, to be devoured there without interruption, consists of hares, rabbits, squirrels, and sometimes mice, and of pigeons, pheasants, partridges, grouse, wild-ducks, crows, rooks, magpies, and other birds. 'According to Meyer,' says Selby, 'it will even prey upon the young of its own species.' Living prey alone is sought, and before being devoured it is plucked carefully of the fur or feathers—very small animals are swallowed whole, but the larger are torn in pieces, and then swallowed: the hair or fur is cast up in pellets. Sometimes a pigeon is heedlessly followed into a farmyard, and sometimes the 'biter is bit' in the ignoble trap, in the act of attempting, like the Kestrel, to carry off the decoy birds of the fowler. Its appetite, though it is a shy bird, leads it into these difficulties, and so, again, when replete with food, and enjoying, it may be, a quiet 'siesta,' the sportsman steals a march, and down falls the noble Goshawk. Yarrell says that in following its prey, 'if it does not catch the object, it soon gives up the pursuit, and perching on a bough waits till some new game presents itself,' It will kill a rabbit at a single blow.
'Its mode of hunting,' says Bishop Stanley, 'was to beat a field, and when a covey was sprung to fly after them, aud observe where they settled; for as it was not a fast flyer, the Partridges could outstrip it in speed: it then sprung the covey again, and after a few times the Partridges became so wearied that the Hawk generally succeeded in securing as many as it pleased. To catch it a trap or two was set in its regular beat, baited with a small rabbit, or the stuffed skin of one; but a surer mode, particularly in open unenclosed countries, was by preparing what were called bird-bushes, about half a mile from each other. A large stake was driven into the ground and left standing, about seven feet in height; bushes and boughs were then laid round this post and kept loosely open, and hollow at the bottom, to the extent of ten or twelve yards round the post, for the Partridges to run into when pursued by the Goshawk, which they usually did after being disturbed two or three times. The Goshawk finding itself disappointed, and unable to follow them with its long wings amongst the bushes and briers, after flying round them for some turns, was sure to perch upon the top of the post, as the only resting place at hand, and was as sure to be taken by a trap set there for the purpose.' Mr. P. H. Salvin of Whitmoor House, near Guildford, has written to me of one of his birds which killed in one day in 1881, one hare of nine pounds and a half weight, thirteen rabbits, and a squirrel.
'His voice in times of danger,' says Meyer, 'is a loud single note, many times repeated, and bears a great resemblance to that of the Sparrow-Hawk; besides this cry, he utters another much resembling the note of the Peregrine-Falcon, which is chiefly used when engaged in a contest with some other bird of prey.'
Its nest is said to be built in tall fir or other trees, near the trunk, and to be large in size, flat in shape, and composed of sticks, grass, and moss, loosely put together. The bird is believed to be in the habit frequently of occupying it for several years in succession, making the necessary repairs from time to time. Mr. Hewitson says that it 'is placed in some high tree in the interior of the woodland, except in those parts which are cleared, and free from timber.' Daring the time that the female is sitting she is fed by the male.
The eggs are from two to five in number, greenish or bluish white, often with and sometimes without, or nearly without, streaks and small spots of brown, olive, or reddish, or yellowish brown. They are hatched about the middle of May, after an incubation of about three weeks. Mr. Gurney had one of these birds which laid eggs several times, and seemed disposed to sit on them.
The Goshawk is very strong and robust in make. Male; length, from one foot six to one foot nine inches; bill, light blue at the base, bluish black towards the end, and bristled on the sides; cere, yellow; iris, bright yellow in the fully adult bird; over the eye is a broad white line spotted with black; head, flat, dark brownish black on the crown; neck, bluish grey, behind, the base of the feathers white, dull white in front; nape, white at the under end of the feathers, which are tipped with brownish black. Chin and throat, white, streaked with dusky; breast, greyish white, transversely waved with small bars of greyish black: each feather has several bars; the shafts of the same colour; back, dark bluish grey tinged with brown; there is an evanescent bloom of ash-colour on the living bird, which fades away shortly after it is dead.
Wings, rather short; expanse about three feet seven inches; greater and lesser wing coverts, bluish grey; primaries, brown, barred with a darker shade, except towards the tips, which are dark brown; the shafts reddish, the inner margins whitish, especially towards the base; underneath, greyish white, the dark bars shewing through; secondaries and tertiaries, bluish grey; greater and lesser under wing coverts, barred with dusky transverse lines. The tail, which is long, wide, and rounded at the end, is brownish grey, with four, five, or six, broad bands of blackish brown, the final band the widest, the tip white, the shafts yellowish brown, the base white; upper tail coverts, bluish grey; under tail coverts, white, with a few slight dark markings. The legs, which are yellow, of moderate length, and feathered rather more than a third down, are reticulated on the sides and behind and before with large scales or plates: the feathers on the legs are shafted and marked as the breast, but the bars are narrower; toes, strong and yellow, the third and fourth united by a web which extends as far as the second joint of each; the first and second are nearly equal in size, the fourth longer and more slender, the third much longer; the sole of the foot is prominently embossed; claws, black, strong, and very sharp.
The female is much larger than the male, but closely resembles him in colour, the plumage only on the back being of a browner tint. When very old there is hardly any apparent difference between them. Length, from one foot ten to two feet two inches; bill, horn-colour or bluish black; breast, greyish white, with small black bars, but tinged with rust-colour; back, dark brown. The wings expand to about three feet nine inches; the bars on the tail are of a dark brown.
The young birds are at first covered with white or buff-coloured down. Bill, dark brown, paler at the base; cere, greenish yellow; iris, grey, pale yellow, reddish or yellowish orange, according to age: there is a white band over the eye, speckled with brown; head, reddish brown, the centre of each feather broadly streaked with dark brown, and edged with light yellowish red; crown, dark reddish brown, the feathers edged with dull white or rufous; neck, behind, yellowish or reddish white, or light brown streaked with dark brown. Nape, light reddish brown, with an oblong dusky mark on the centre of each feather; throat, white or cream white, speckled with brown; breast, reddish or yellowish white, streaked longitudinally with brown on the centres of the feathers, the shafts still darker, narrowing towards the tip of each, until after the second moult: when the transverse bars appear, they are at first fewer in number and larger than in after years; back, reddish or yellowish brown, the feathers edged with a paler shade, or yellowish white; primaries, dusky, with dark brown, and tipped with whitish; secondaries and tertiaries, dusky, with greyish brown bars; greater and lesser under wing coverts, light brown, or rufous white, streaked as the feathers on the breast; tail, greyish brown, with four or five bars of blackish brown alternating with the former colour, and tipped with white; underneath, greyish white, barred with five bars of greyish brown; tail coverts, yellowish brown with paler tips; under tail coverts, yellowish white, but only marked with brown at the tips. Legs and toes, dull yellow, inclining to green at the joints: the feathers on the legs are light brown or rufous white, streaked, but only on the shafts, as the feathers on the breast; claws, brownish black, those of the inner toes larger than those of the outer.
The young female is lighter coloured than the young male, and the dark markings on the breast are larger. It is some years before the fine grey of the back and the bluish white of the breast are assumed.
White varieties of this species have been sometimes met with, and some of a tawny colour with a few brown markings.
'I have compared,' says Macgillivray, 'British and French with American specimens, both in the adult and young states, and am perfectly persuaded that no real difference exists between them. Were we to form specific distinctions upon such trifling discrepancies as are exhibited by the Goshawk of America and that of Europe, we might find that our common ptarmigan, our bullfinch, wheatear, and kestrel, are each of two or three species. Cuvier, in my opinion, very strangely refers to the 'Falco atricapillus' of Wilson, which is the American Goshawk, as a species of 'Hierofalco,' that is, as intimately allied to the Jer-Falcon. The only name by which this species is known in Britain is that prefixed to this article, but variously written—Goshawk, Goss-hawk, or Gose-hawk, and apparently a corruption of Goose Hawk,'

"Then rose the cry of females shrill, As Goshawks whistle on the hill."
The Lady of the Lake.