Their Eggs and Nests. 53 



that the nests of the Puttock, as the Buzzard was in- 

 variably called in that district, were more frequently 

 found by us than those of any other wood-building 

 Hawk ; and many a hatch of young Puttocks it fell to 

 my lot to see brought within the old school gates. 

 Whether the Buzzard is equally abundant there now 

 I cannot tell. It seems to me that not only Hawks, 

 but very many of the smaller birds as well, are much 

 less numerous now than in the days of my boyhood ; 

 and I have heard other nest-lovers make the same 

 remark. 



In rocky countries the Buzzard sometimes builds 

 her nest on precipices, or steep banks ; but generally, 

 in our own country, some fork in a tree supplies either 

 the site for the intended nest, or possibly the nest 

 itself ; for, like several other of the Hawks already 

 noticed, the Buzzard seems to think there is a deal of 

 sound sense in the saying, " Foolish birds build fine 

 nests for wise Hawks to live in them," and acts 

 accordingly. The eggs are from two to four in 

 number, of considerable size, and some of them ap- 

 proaching very nearly in general look and colour to 

 the Kite's ctg^. It just as frequently seems to wait 

 until its prey comes to it, as trouble itself to go far in 

 search of it. It is rather a sluggard and a coward, to 

 have so much the air of a fine-looking bird about it. — 

 Fig. % plate 11. 



ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD— (Z?///.^^ lagopus). 



Not to say a rare bird, but still, by no means a 

 common bird in any division of the kingdom. 



