328 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



an interesting instance of a Buzzard in his aviary nesting 

 and laying two eggs. 



This bird is now too rare to be known by any vernacular 

 names, though in former days, when it was abundant, it 

 was sometimes confounded with the Kite, and known by that 

 name, as also Glead or Gled. 



ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD. 



Buteo lagopus (Gmelin). 



Winter visitant, occurring occasionally in varying numbers, and 

 chiefly near the coast. Rarely observed on the spring migration. 



Apparently the earliest reference to this species in York- 

 shire is contained in Thomas Allis's Report, 1844 : — 



Buteo lagopus. — Rough-legged Buzzard — My friend John Heppen- 

 stall says that many were seen and obtained near Sheffield in the 

 winter of 1839-40 ; with this exception it appears to be a rare bird. 

 H. Chapman informs me he has had it ; besides which, the recorded 

 specimens are by Henry Denny, shot at Garforth in 1833 ; two by A. 

 Strickland who says that one of these came into his possession a few 

 years ago ; it had been noticed on the Wolds for some time, and had 

 the appearance and habit of an Owl upon the wing, and, from its low 

 flights and small feet, he has no doubt but its principal food will be found 

 to be insects ; I differ from him in opinion on this head, as in 1839 

 my friend H. Doubleday sent me a live bird which was one out of 

 more than fifty which had been trapped on a rabbit warren ; this took 

 animal food just like vulgaris. Dr. Farrar reports two taken in 1840, 

 one of them being shot at Clayton Heights, the other trapped at 

 Hawksworth Hall ; H. Reid reports one shot at Bilham, now possessed 

 by the Rev. G. Wright. W. Eddison says it is scarce near Huddersfield, 

 and H. Denny mentions it as being frequently met with at Black Hill, 

 when a rabbit warren. 



This bird occurs almost annually in Yorkshire as an 

 autumn migrant, usually in the month of '^"tober, and varies 

 very considerably in its numbers ; some years being very 

 scarce or unnoticed, whilst in others great flights visit us ; 

 the first great migration of which mention is made took 

 place in the winter of 1839-40 ; others at intervals occurred 



