40 STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 



sticks and twigs and heath, and has a rude hning of wool. While the mother 

 bird is sitting, her partner is very attentive to her wants, and is constantly- 

 bringing her food. 



In some parts of Scotland the buzzard is very rare, though we often see 

 him in England. 



But now and then the Scotch farmer sees a bird hunting about in the 

 fields, with a wavering, uncertain flight, and making all kinds of turns and 

 twists. Soon he observes it drop down suddenly on some unwary prey 

 beneath, and he knows that it is the buzzard. He ought to feel a friendship 

 for the buzzard, instead of shooting him. The mice nibble the corn, and the 

 more they are seized the better. And when the corn is ripe, a number of 

 pretty ring-doves will come in flocks to eat it. The buzzard would have 

 caught a great many of them, if the farmer had not shot him. 



THE SNAKE BUZZARD. 



Look at the picture in the next page, and you will see that the snake that 

 hangs from the bough of the tree has just been killed by a very useful bird — 

 the snake buzzard. 



In countries where these venomous reptiles abound, it is of the utmost 

 importance that their numbers should be thinned. It is true the snake, as a 

 rule, has a dread of man, and will bustle away among the dead leaves on the 

 ground when he hears footsteps approaching. But many fatal accidents are 

 always occurring, for the snake may be trodden on without being seen as he 

 is coiled up asleep, or he may creep into the house. A lady once felt some- 

 thing move under her pillow in the night. She took no notice, but the next 

 morning, when the pillow was moved, there was a venomous snake coiled 

 round, and it had lain there all night. 



Some of the birds of prey seem to have an especial desire to kill snakes. 

 Besides the brave secretary bird, the buzzard of which we are speaking does 

 his part to keep them down. His family live in many parts of the world — in 

 Europe, Asia, and Africa. He has great eyes, that shine like those of the cat 



