HONEY-BUZZARD 



369 



Honey-Buzzapd Although, on account of the fact that these hawks 

 (Pernis apivora) ^^^ "°^ "^^^ relatives of the true buzzards it has 

 been proposed to replace the name honey-buzzard 

 by honey-kite, the attempt is not likely to succeed, and indeed is 

 illegitimate, the former being the proper designation of the species. 

 Honey-buzzards, of which there are several species, present an interest- 

 ing instance of adaptation to a special mode of life, the membrane in 

 front of the eyes, which is bare in 

 nearly all other members of the order, 

 being, like the sides of the head, fore- 

 head, and chin, covered with small 

 scale-like feathers, without the pres- 

 ence of any bristles or bristle-like hairs. 

 Obviously this covering is designed to 

 serve as a protection against the stings 

 of bees and wasps ; the birds of this 

 genus feeding principally upon the 

 combs and grubs of those insects. 



Honey-buzzards are further char- 

 acterised by the elongation of the 

 rather feeble beak, which is but slightly 

 hooked at the tip ; the long wings, in 

 which the third and fourth quills are 

 nearly equal and exceed all the others 

 in length, although the fifth is not 

 much shorter ; the moderately long 

 and slightly rounded tail ; the short 

 and stout shank of the leg, which is 

 feathered half-way down the front and 

 covered elsewhere with hexagonal 

 scales ; and the long toes and claws, 

 of which the former are protected 

 above by plates of bone, while the middle one of the latter is some- 

 what expanded on its inner side. Honey-buzzards are restricted to the 

 Old World, exclusive of Australasia. 



In point of size the typical and only British representative of the 

 group is a comparatively large bird, the hen measuring as much as 

 2 5 inches in length and weighing nearly a couple of pounds, while her 

 partner is not much smaller. In the adult male the head is ashy grey 

 and the remainder of the upper surface dark brown, while the upper 

 portion of the breast is chocolate-brown with darker shaft-streaks to 



2 B 



HONEY-BUZZARD. 



(From a specimen in the British Museum. ) 



