COMMON BUZZARD. 113 



japonkus — a bird which is so nearly allied as by some 

 authorities to be regarded as specifically identical with 

 B. vulgaris, but distinguishable by having its tarsi more 

 feathered. The Common Buzzard was formerly said to 

 occur in the hill-country of India, but Mr. Allan Hume has 

 lately expressed a doubt on the subject which Mr. Jerdon 

 is understood to be satisfied is correct. Menetries says that 

 it is tolerably common in the Caucasus, and Canon Tristram 

 found it very plentiful in Palestine in winter. In Egypt it 

 is a rare visitor, and only at that season. Loche says it is 

 common throughout Algeria and breeds there, but other 

 naturalists have not been so fortunate as to find it. Never- 

 theless it inhabits the Canaries, Maderia and the Azores — the 

 last group of islands talcing its name from this bird, though 

 the Portugueze word Ago?- (a corruption of the Latin Astnr) 

 is not that which is usually bestowed upon it. 



In North America this species is represented by the nearly- 

 allied Buteo swainsoni, nowadays considered distinct, as well 

 as by others of the genus, one of which, Buteo llneatus or 

 the Red-shouldered Buzzard, is recorded (Ibis, 1865, p. 549) 

 as having once occurred in Scotland. From information 

 received from Mr. Gurney it appears also that an example 

 of Buteo desertorum (Daudin) — a species of extensive 

 southern and eastern range, has been killed in Wiltshire ; 

 but as yet no record of the fact seems to have been made 

 public. 



The whole length of the Common Buzzard is from twenty 

 to twenty-three inches, depending on the sex, — the females 

 being the largest ; from the anterior bend of the wing to 

 the end of the longest primary fourteen inches and three 

 eighths. In colour this species is subject to very great 

 variation, so much so that in a large series no two may be 

 found precisely alike, and the difference cannot be generally 

 ascribed to age, sex or locality. Some are almost entirely 

 of a yellowish- white with a few brown feathers interspersed, 

 w^hile others are of a nearly uniform dark chocolate-brown. 

 To describe the almost endless intermediate phases of 

 plumage would here be impossible, but the following may 



VOL. I. Q 



