FOR CAGES AND AVIARIES. 103 



Montagu's Harrier is one of the smallest of our British 

 Hawks, measuring only 17 or 18 inches in length and 

 weighing under a pound. The female is altogether the 

 larger of the two. The nest is placed on the ground amid 

 furze or other cover, and contains four or five white eggs 

 with a blue shade and occasionally brown spots. 



The .food of this species consists of small birds, their 

 young and eggs, of reptiles, and insects, among the last 

 grasshoppers and large beetles. 



THE HAWFINCH. See under Finches. 



THE HAWKS. 



The Buzzard. 



This Hawk is still sufficiently abundant in many parts 

 of the United Kingdom, though from some localities it 

 has been entirely banished by the vigilant guardians of 

 game-preserves, where it certainly commits some havoc. 

 It is thought to be migratory, at least in part, but as 

 it has been met with at all seasons, it is more likely that 

 it merely wanders about the country in search of food, 

 without entirely quitting it for any other land across the sea. 



It is one of the easiest to tame and train of all the 

 Hawks, and is frequently taken captive for that purpose 

 and used in the partially revived "sport" of Hawking, into 

 the mysteries and technicalities of which we will not enter. 



The rabbit is the natural prey of this bird, and it is 

 probable that had our relations at the Antipodes introduced 

 it instead of going to considerable trouble aud expense to 

 import such uncanny brutes as stoats and weasels, it would 

 have rendered better service than the latter and been open 

 to far less objection in many ways. 



The Buzzard pairs early in March, and builds on trees 

 as well as on ledges of rock and among precipitous cliffs ; 

 it will also reproduce its species freely in captivity, and a 



