BUTEO.] AVES RAPTORES. $>] 



GEN. 6. BUTEO, Nob. .'- 

 (1. BUTEO, Bechst.) 



14. B. vulgaris, Will. (Common Buzzard) Tarsi 

 naked : tail barred transversely throughout its whole 

 length. 



Falco Buteo, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn, i, p. 63. Common Buzzard, 

 Mont. Orn. Diet. Selb. lllust. vol. i. p. 55. pi. 6. Bew. Brit. Birds, 

 vol. i. p. 22. 



DIMENS. Entire length twenty inches six lines: length of the hill 

 (from the forehead) one inch four lines, (from the gape) one inch six 

 lines ; of the tarsus three inches one line ; of the tail eight inches six 

 lines ; from the carpus to the end of the wing fifteen inches three lines : 

 hreadth, wings extended, three feet eleven inches. 



DE SCRIPT. (Adult) All the upper parts, as well as the neck and 

 breast, deep hrown: throat whitish, with a few brown streaks on the 

 shafts of the feathers; abdomen grayish white, with longitudinal spots 

 of deep brown : tail with about twelve transverse dusky bars, the ex- 

 tremity slightly rounded : bill lead-colour : cere, irides, and feet, yellow. 

 (Young.) Upper plumage brown, much varied with yellowish white and 

 brownish yellow: throat pure white, with longitudinal brown spots; 

 breast and belly yellowish white, with large oval stains and blotches of 

 deep brown, prevailing most upon the breast: irides pale brownish 

 yellow. Obs. The plumage of this species varies considerably, even in 

 individuals of the same age : the brown above is more or less uniform, and 

 the markings beneath more or less regular : occasionally the brown ex- 

 tends nearly over the whole body, and the white appears only on the 

 throat, and in transverse bars on the middle of the abdomen. (Egg.) 

 Dirty white, spotted with pale brown : long, diam. two inches three 

 lines; trans, diam. one inch ten lines. 



Of frequent occurrence throughout the country. Habits sluggish and 

 inactive. Builds in old trees, and lays from two to four eggs. Feeds on 

 rats, mice, moles, leverets, small birds, and occasionally on reptiles. 



15. B. Lagopus, Vig. (Rough-legged Buzzard.) 

 Tarsi feathered nearly to the toes: basal portion of the 

 tail white, the remainder brown. 



Falco Lagopus, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. i. p. 65. Rough-legged 

 Falcon, Mont. Orn. Diet. Rough-legged Buzzard, Selb. lllust. 

 vol. i. p. 58. pi. 7. Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 20. 



DIMENS. Entire length twenty inches six lines: from the carpus to 

 the end of the wing sixteen inches six lines. 



DESCRIPT. (Adult.) Head, upper part of the neck, throat, breast, and 

 thighs, yellowish white, spotted and streaked with brown; back and 

 wing-coverts deep brown, the feathers edged with reddish yellow : quills 

 dusky ; with one half of the inner webs white, spotted with deep brown : 

 lower portion of the abdomen deep umber-brown : rump and under tail- 

 coverts yellowish white : tail white at the base, the remaining part brown ; 

 the extreme tip dirty white : bill bluish black, darkest at the tip ; cere 

 yellow; irides brown. (Young.) Upper parts more or less varied with 

 white : a considerable portion of the abdomen whitish, spotted with 



