204 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



very rarely the higher number. They are remarkably 

 handsome, rotund in form, smooth and waxy in texture, 

 cream or pale red in ground colour, boldly blotched and 

 spotted with rich purplish-brown, often so abundantly 

 as to conceal all trace of the ground. Average measure- 

 ment, 1-95 inch in length, by 17 inch in breadth. 

 Incubation is performed by both sexes, and lasts from 

 twenty-one to twenty-three days. Only one brood is 

 reared in the year. 



Family FALCONID/E. Genus BUTEO. 



Sub-family BUTEONIN-E. 



COMMON B U Z Z A R D. 



BuTEO VULGARIS, Leuch. 

 Sin^'le Brooded. Laying season, April and May. 



British BREEDING AREA: The Common Buzzard 

 breeds very locally on the cliffs of the Welsh coast, and 

 in some of the wooded inland districts of the Principality, 

 A few pairs also nest in some of the large forests of 

 Scotland, and the same remarks I am glad to say still 

 apply to Ireland. It is unwise more specially to indicate 

 the localities, as unfortunately the greed of the collector 

 seldom allows him to respect such confidence. 



Breeding habits : The Common Buzzard must be 

 regarded as a resident in our islands, although there is 

 considerable local movement during the non-breeding 

 season. In our islands the breeding-haunts of this 

 Buzzard are either in secluded woods, or in the vicinity 

 of crags and maritime cliffs. The bird is not a social 

 one, although two nests may sometimes be found not 



