BUZZARDS 97 



easily recognisable by its very short, tail, and in its adult 

 stage by its bright red legs. 



It has a curious habit of turning somersaults in the air, 

 and feeds chiefly on small animals and reptiles. 



BUZZARDS 



The Jackal Buzzard (Buteojakal) is fairly common through- 

 out South Africa. It derives its name from its howl-like cry, 

 which somewhat resembles that of the Black-backed Jackal. 

 General colour, dull black, with a red patch on the breast 

 and reddish tail. Length, 21 to b 23 inches. 



During the month of October, 1901, we found a nest in a 

 euphorbia at Bluekranz drift near Grahamstown. It was 

 cup-shaped, rather shallow, about 20 inches across the top, 

 and composed outside of very coarse, and inside of smaller 

 dry sticks ; all the lining discernible consisted of a few 

 sprigs of green leaves and a bunch of Ptylandsia (Old Man's 

 Beard-moss). At the end of July, 1902, a second nest was 

 found at Fernside Kloof, also near Grahamstown. This 

 nest had, how r ever, been built by a pair of Goshawks, and 

 afterwards " commandeered " by the Buzzards, as it con- 

 tained three eggs — two large white ones of the ordinary 

 buzzard type, and a smaller egg resembling that generally 

 laid by the Goshawk. A photo was taken with the female 

 buzzard perched near the nest (Fig. 54). Two little downy 

 chicks were hatched which were fed by the parents at sunset. 

 Snakes, mice and rats and various birds seemed to be the 

 staple fare provided. A leg and feathers of a Bush- 

 pheasant " (Ptemistes) was on one occasion found in the 

 nest. Mr. Harold Fry states that a pair discovered by him 

 in Natal fed their young largely upon spiders and insects, 

 such as grass-hoppers, &c. 



Mr. K. H. Ivy relates that ten days were spent in trying 



