od BUZZARD. 
found wandering on dry land—out of, and far away from their 
more proper element. The way in which the Buzzard procures 
moles is, it is said, by watching patiently by their haunts, 
until the moving of the earth caused by their subterraneous 
burrowings, points out to him their exact locality, and the 
knowledge of it thus acquired he immediately takes advantage 
of to their destruction. His feet, legs, and bill being often 
found covered with earth or mud is thus accounted for. 
The Buzzard never, or very rarely, attempts to obtain its 
prey by pursuit. It prowls about, and pounces down on 
whatever may be so unlucky as to fall in its way. Feeding, 
as it does, on various kinds of vermin, it is of great service 
in corn-growing countries, and according to Mr. Meyer, is 
itself esteemed a delicacy on the continent, notwithstanding 
the not over nice selection of its own food. 
The note of the Common Buzzard is wild and striking, its 
shrillness conveying a melancholy idea—though, as every feeling 
of melancholy produced by any thing in nature must be, of a 
pleasing kind—when heard in the retired situations in which 
this bird delights. One of its local names is the Shreak, 
evidently derived from the sound of its note. 
These birds pair in the beginning of March, at which time 
they may be seen wheeling about, and often at a great height 
above the place of their intended abode, in slow and graceful 
flight. They are very attentive to their young, and are said 
not to drive them away so soon as other Hawks do theirs; 
but to allow them to remain in company with them, and to 
render assistance to them for some time after they have been 
able to fly, in the same way that Rooks and some other birds 
do. 
The Buzzard is extremely fond, even in captivity, of the 
task of incubation: one at Uxbridge, a female, brought up 
safely several broods of chickens, to which she proved a most 
kind and careful foster-mother. The landlord of the inn, in 
whose garden she was kept, noticing her desire to build and 
to sit, supplied her with materials for a nest, and with hen’s 
eggs for the purpose, and this was repeated with the lke 
success for several years. On one occasion, thinking to save. 
her the trouble of sitting, he provided her with chickens 
ready hatched, but these she destroyed. She seemed uneasy 
when her adopted brood turned away from the meat she put 
before them to the grain which was natural to them. Several 
other similar instances are on record. 
