BIRDS OF PREY. 31 
The Common Buzzard (Buteo vulgaris) is the most 
frequent species, and indeed may be called common. 
It is more discursive in its habits than the other two, 
but appears to prefer the neighbourhood of the older 
woods and plantations, while the bare heathy tracts 
which approach the moorland in character are the choice 
of the rough-legged and honey buzzards, 
The common buzzard appears a much larger bird 
when on the wing than it really is, especially when seen 
soaring, as 1t sometimes does, at a great elevation; but 
when hawking for food it flies at a very short distance 
from the ground, and with a peculiar gliding, noiseless 
flight. It seems especially fond of beating along the 
outside of plantations which are surrounded by hedges, 
pouncing on the rabbits which sally out in the evenings 
to feed, and which form its favourite repast, 
Inkersal Forest, about three miles south-west of Oller- 
ton, is a favourite haunt of the Rough-legyed Buzzard 
(B. lagopus), several having been there met with during 
the last few years. I obtained a very fine male which 
was shot there by a keeper in 1857 while on the wing, 
The shot took effect and brought him down, but, as it 
afterwards proved, he was not seriously hurt, excepting 
that one of his wings was broken. As soon as the bird 
dropped on the heather a retriever, accompanying the 
man, started off at once to fetch him in, but no sooner 
had the dog approached, and was about seizing the 
buzzard in his mouth, when, doubtless much to his 
astonishment, the bird of which he expected to make so 
easy a capture at once sprang on his back, and began to 
ply his beak and talons in good earnest. For a short 
time the unequal contest continued, the poor og in vain 
attempting to free himself from his antagonist, who 
