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Review



bald one began to improve, and finally returned to normal plumage.

Whether this was a result of watering or merely a coincidence I cannot

say.—F. D. Welch.



REVIEW


The Buzzard at Home. By Arthur Brook. With twelve photo¬

graphic plates. London : Witherby & Co. 3s. 6 d. net.


This is one of those valuable little booklets which fortunately are

increasing in number evqry year. All the information contained in it

has been acquired at first hand, and Mr. Brook tells his story with

simplicity and restraint. The twelve plates illustrating the text are

full of life and movement, and for that reason are far more interesting

than more technically perfect photographs of a motionless bird ever

could be.


Only a bird photographer can adequately appreciate the difficulties

Mr. Brook had to contend against. The nest was unusually inaccessible,

and the choice of a suitable spot for the camera limited in consequence.

Mr. Brook calls attention to two traits in the Buzzard’s character,

which have always been of interest to naturalists. They are harmless,

and confined to the adult birds. Some instinct, purely decorative as

far as we can judge, induces them to embellish their nest with freshly

plucked branches of larch or mountain ash.


The second trait points to something peculiarly sinister in the

young Buzzard’s nature. The oldest and strongest nestling will

savagely attack and devour his weaker brethren. Many young

Raptores are destroyed more or less accidentally in the nest when there

is a marked difference in their ages ; but only the young Buzzard

habitually bears the hall-mark of Cain, and with his brethren inside

brazenly faces his accuser and cynically asks : “ Am I my brother’s

keeper ? ”


The most interesting point in this little monograph is the

nursery diet as supplied by the parents. The menu is a varied one,

and consists of young Ducks, Moles, Frogs, Mice (including Shrews),

and small Rats. Unfortunately Mr. Brook’s records did not begin until

the nestlings were about ten days’ old. The careful way in which all



