214 HONEY BUZZARD. 



only two young ones, covered with a white 

 down, spotted with black. Their crops were 

 large, in which were lizards, frogs, &c."* The 

 same ornithologist also mentions that he found 

 '' a huge number of green caterpillars, of that 

 sort called Geometra, in the stomach and guts of 

 one which he dissected." Mr White states that 

 the " craw of the female shot in Selborne-hanger, 

 contained the limbs of frogs, and many grey 

 snails without shells." f 



The form of this bird is rather graceful ; the 

 head small and the bill weak, are evidently not 

 intended for tearing a strong prey. Its structure, 

 however, seems finely adapted for its peculiar 

 mode of attack ; and the scaly formed feathers 

 covering the eyelids, and every exposed part of 

 the face, protect them from the stings of the 

 colonies it preys upon. From the account given 

 us by Mr Selby, the feet also appear to be 

 capable of being well employed in scraping, 

 while Willoughby remarks that " this bird runs 

 very swiftly like a hen." 



A specimen procured in France is in length 

 about twenty inches. The crown, head, and 

 cheeks, clothed with imbricated feathers, smaller 

 and more closely arranged on the face. These 

 are of an ash grey, gradually shading into the 



* Willoughby 's Ornithology, p. 72. 

 t Selborne, 4to edit. p. 109. 



