[Illustration: THE GOS HAWK (_Astur palumbarius_).]
The TRUE HAWK, or GOS HAWK (_Aster palumbarius_) resembles the Sparrow
Hawk in many of its features, but differs from that bird in the
compactness of its body, and in the strength of its beak; the tail is
rounded, the feet powerful, and the plumage peculiarly marked. This Hawk
is about one foot and three-quarters in length, and three feet and a half
across; the wing measures twelve inches, and the tail eight and a half;
the female is five inches longer and six inches broader than her mate.
The plumage upon the upper part of the body is blackish brown, more or
less shaded with greyish blue; the lower portions are white, the shafts
of the feathers being brownish black, as are the undulating lines with
which they are ornamented; the beak is greyish brown, the cere, eyes, and
feet pale yellow. In young birds the upper portion of the body is brown,
each feather being bordered and spotted with reddish yellow; the lower
parts are of a reddish shade, and at a later period of a reddish white,
marked with longitudinal brown streaks; the beak, eyes, cere, and feet
are paler than in the adult.
The habitat of the Gos Hawk is as extensive as that of the Sparrow Hawk;
it is found in great numbers in northern countries, and in some districts
may be regarded as stationary; in Southern Europe it is extremely rare,
and, according to our own observation, is seldom met with in Northern
Africa or India. Wooded country, interspersed with fields and valleys,
afford it the localities it prefers, and it is much more numerous in
extensive forests than in comparatively small woods. In its habits this
species is eminently unsocial, living almost invariably alone, except
during the breeding season; its disposition is cunning, wild, and
violent, and its movements active and powerful. When upon the wing, it
may be seen hovering from time to time, and then rushing down upon its
prey with noisy impetuosity; in making a swoop it cleaves the air with
great force, the tail at these times being partly outspread. In the
air the Gos-Hawk is completely master of its movements, and steers its
course with imposing majesty; whilst upon the ground, on the contrary,
its gait is awkward and ungainly, its step being a sort of lame hop. Its
voice consists of a variety of sounds, but is rarely heard; it is loud,
resonant, and extremely unpleasing. So rapacious is this formidable bird,
that its destructive attacks are repeated almost without intermission
during the entire day on birds of all sizes, and even rabbits, squirrels,
and water-fowl may be numbered among its victims, the prey being seized
with equal facility either when running, flying, or swimming; some of
the smaller quadrupeds are so completely paralysed with fear at the
approach of their destroyer that they crouch down incapable of moving a
limb, while the Hawk swoops down upon them with wings almost closed and
talons outspread, producing as it descends a rushing sound, that may
be heard above a hundred paces from the spot. Remarkable anecdotes are
cited by reliable writers of the extreme cunning and intelligence of
these birds when strength proves unavailing. Count Wodzicki tells of a
sagacious Hawk that, when all other means had failed by which it hoped
to seize upon some tempting but wary pigeons, at length decided upon
perching motionless upon a branch, with neck drawn in, so as to simulate
an owl; the _ruse_ completely succeeded, for the birds, fearing nothing
from the huge but helpless looking creature, ventured out and were seized
with a rapidity from which escape was hopeless. The same author mentions
an instance of a trick played upon another flock of pigeons, in which
very different means were adopted; the Hawk in this case, finding that
its hoped-for prey utterly refused to come out and allow themselves to
be caught, at last alighted upon the dove-cot, and beat and stamped
upon it with such violence that the terrified inhabitants were fairly
driven from their retreat. Audubon mentions having seen a Hawk kill five
Blackbirds in succession as a flock was passing the Ohio, the victims
being successively thrown down upon the water until the destroyer had
time to collect them at his leisure; this latter feat was accomplished by
a series of very dexterous movements, and the booty safely deposited upon
dry land. The extraordinary rapacity of the Hawk fully accounts for its
unsocial habits; it would, in fact, be impossible for these birds to live
together; no relation of life appears to excite any natural feeling, even
parents, devour their offspring with the most revolting cruelty--indeed,
so great is their ferocity, that although provided with abundance of
other food, they cannot restrain their murderous propensities, if brought
in contact with birds even of their own species. Such of the feathered
denizens of the forest as are sufficiently swift of wing to be able to
elude the Gos Hawk, pursue it fearlessly, and chase it with rude cries
whenever it appears; Crows and Swallows are particularly addicted to
this most harassing mode of avenging the wrongs of their more helpless
companions.
The eyrie of this species is large and shallow, built of green fir or
pine branches, which are added to or renewed from time to time; the bed
for the young is lined with down stripped from the parent birds. Old and
high trees are usually preferred for building purposes, the nest being
placed on a large branch near the main stem; year after year a pair of
Hawks will return to the same spot, at each visit making such repairs as
the eyrie requires, and renewing the green branches. The eggs, two to
four in number, are large, long, and very wide towards the middle; the
shell is thick, rough, of a greenish-white colour, and either entirely
unmarked, or spotted with yellow; the female alone sits, but both parents
guard the nest with jealous care, often attacking men, or even horses
should they approach too near. The young grow very quickly, and are so
voracious that the eyrie often looks like a slaughter-house, the parents
having as much to do as they can manage in catering for their clamorous
family, whose greed is so excessive that they will often fall upon and
destroy each other when too impatient to await a fresh supply of food.
Many and various are the means employed to clear the country of these
destructive birds, but all attempts prove inadequate to cope with the
extreme cunning and sagacity which they display on the approach of
danger. In some parts of Asia their worst qualities are the points on
which the favour of the native falconers is grounded, and by them these
birds are prized as unrivalled for the purposes of the chase; they even
employ them in the pursuit of such large game as hares. When about to
hunt large animals, the legs of the Hawk are carefully covered with a
kind of leather gaiters, to defend them when dragged through bushes and
brambles, as their intended victim endeavours to escape from its clutch;
seldom, however, does it succeed, for the bird holds firmly on with one
foot, keeping the other raised to clear aside the branches, or get a firm
grasp upon a bush, and thus arrest the progress of its quarry when the
proper moment arrives.
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The SINGING HAWKS (_Melierax_) are an African group, differing somewhat
in shape from their European relatives. Their body is more slender, the
beak less powerful, and the wings longer than in the races hitherto
described; the tail is rounded at its extremity; the tarsi are strong and
high, and the feet provided with comparatively short claws.