PERNIS APIVORUS. 49 
dant in the vicinity of Seville and where there are pine- 
woods ; and very few pairs remain to breed about Gibraltar. 
Both in Morocco and in Andalucia they nest, often in colonies, 
about the end of April ; and on the 24th of that month I took 
two nests near Larache, each containing the usual number 
of two eggs, both lots quite fresh. The nests, built of 
sticks and placed in tall trees like those of the common 
Kite, are lined with rags, paper, bits of rope, and such like 
rubbish. 
The eggs are subject to great variation both in shape and 
colour ; sometimes they are almost white, without any spots ; 
others are richly marked all over with reddish brown ; some 
only so marked at the ends, generally at the large one, though 
now and then at the smaller end. 
23. Pernis APIVORUS. The Honey-Buzzard. 
Moorish. Khabas el grain (Favier). Spanish. Aguila de 
Moros. 
"Only observed near Tangier during passage, migrating 
north during April and May, returning in August and Sep- 
tember. The autumnal migration is not in such great 
flights as the vernal one, the greatest number seen in 
autumn being from twelve to fourteen, usually six or eight, 
while in spring flights of many more than a hundred may 
be seen crossing the Straits in a body. Their plumage 
is so variable, it is almost impossible to find two exactly 
alike. ^^ — Favier. 
The Honey-Buzzard, as above stated, is to be seen in swarms 
during the spring migration, which extends over some twenty 
days, being at its climax about the 8th of May. The latest 
flight I saw was on the 15th of that month. When they 
have once passed the water the passage is usually made in a 
gyrating flight of eccentric circles, sometimes very high and 
as often within shot of the ground. They seem, when thus 
circling onwards, as if about to alight ; but I never saw them 
do so ; nor have I ever seen them except at the period of mi- 
gration. Lord Lilford observed large flocks passing south in 
September. 
