314 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



of any predatory species, has driven it from most of its former 

 haunts, and it now only nests in the wilder and more in- 

 accessible hill districts. It is still fairly common in Scotland, 

 the Lake District and Wales, and a few pairs find sanctuary in 

 Devon and Cornwall and the Pennines. In Ireland, where it 

 once nested, it is now exterminated, and only known as an 

 occasional visitor. 



Though heavy, almost ungainly in build, and apparently 

 indolent in habits, the Buzzard is a handsome bird ; its size and 

 appearance are too often responsible for its death ; it is mis- 

 taken for an Eagle. It rises with slow "lumbering" flight, 

 but when well on the wing is a master of aerial locomotion, 

 graceful and easy. It sails, moth-like, with round wings well 

 forward, no angle visible at the carpal joint, and with its flight 

 feathers splayed out like fingers. With motionless wings and 

 expanded squared tail it tilts to suit the wind, lifting and 

 tacking, wheeling and soaring without visible effort. Often 

 two or three will play together with plaintive mewing cries, 

 crossing and recrossing one another's course as they rise higher 

 and higher until mere specks in the blue. They drift over a 

 crag ; then the wings are bowed and they sweep down the 

 slope into the valley, rising again with a long curve to top the 

 next obstacle ; sometimes the downward rush is checked 

 suddenly by the outspread wings and the bird banks smartly, 

 but often with half-closed wings it drops diagonally until close 

 to the ground, when with a slight change of attitude it skims 

 to a rock or tree and alights. When hunting it flies at a 

 greater height from the ground than the harriers ; but like 

 them it seldom attempts to chase its prey, but pounces suddenly 

 upon an unsuspecting victim. Though it will kill a wounded 

 Grouse and drop upon helpless young birds, it does little 

 damage to game ; indeed small mammals and insects rather 

 than birds are its victims. Mammals it will kill up to the size 

 of a young rabbit, but its pellets prove that beetles, especially 



