TJie Honey-Buzzard. 109 



of the old men in the same way, hiding its booty in the 

 tallest trees. 



Wilson says that one he shot in the wing lived with 

 him several weeks : but refused to eat. It amused 

 itself by hopping from one end of the room to the other, 

 and sitting for hours at the window, looking down on 

 the passengers below. At first, he put himself in an 

 attitude of defence when approached ; but after some 

 time became quite familiar, permitting himself to be 

 handled. Though he lived so long without food, his 

 stomach was found on dissection to be enveloped in 

 solid fat of nearlv an inch in thickness. 



THE HONEY-BUZZAKD. (Fako t or Pernis apworus.) 



THIS Buzzard eats lizards, frogs, and snails. It also 

 feeds upon the larvae of bees and wasps, which form the 

 chief food of the young birds. Buffon says that in 

 winter, when fat, it is good eating, a very rare circum- 

 stance with birds of this genus. It seldom flies, ex- 

 cepting from one bush to another ; but, when on the 

 ground, it runs with great rapidity, like a domestic fowl. 

 Willoughby observes that it builds its nest with twigs, 



