ROUGH-LEGGED FALCON. 97 



Subgenus. — Buteo (Buzzards.) 



Bill short, suddenly curving from its base, and much hooked ; lobe 

 blunt ; the sides of the lower mandible bent inwards. Head rather 

 large, with the neck thick and short; the body also rather stout. — 

 Tarsus short and thick, scutellated, partially or wholly feathered ; 

 outer toes connected at base by a membrane ; nails rather weak, 

 those of the inner and hind toe largest. Wings usually long, with 

 the 4 first primaries indented on the inner web ; the 1st very short, 

 and the 4th longest. 



Female, larger, but similar in color. The young very different. 

 By their heavy flight, inferior boldness, and massive form, they often 

 appear to make an approach towards the owls ; in captivity indeed 

 they habitually hide themselves, and appear dastardly. They feed 

 on young rabbits, squirrels, mice, rats, moles, snakes, frogs, large in- 

 sects, and small birds, which they commonly watch for while 

 perched. 



§ 1. With the tarsi feathered to the toes. 



ROUGH-LEGGED FALCON. 



(Falco lagopus, Lin. Wilson. Am. Orn. iv. p. 59. pi. 33. fig. 1. 



[male.] ) 



Spec. Charact. — Varied with dark brown and ferruginous; a 

 blackish brown belt on the belly ; tail white, dark brown to- 

 wards the extremity, terminated by a dull white edging. — Female, 

 generally lighter, though more brown along the sides and belly. 

 — Young, the belt only indicated by large brown spots at the 

 sides, with the feathers of the thighs transversely barred ; the 

 tail with 3 bands towards its extremity ; and with the iris of a 

 brownish yellow. 



This remarkable species of Buzzard appears to take 

 up its residence chiefly in the northern wilds of Amer- 

 ica, where probably it builds in large trees, as it is known 

 to do in Europe. It is said to lay 4 eggs, clouded with 

 reddish. It is common also to the north of Europe, if 

 not to Africa. Its usual station is on the outskirts of 

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