88 AVES RAPTORES. [BtiTEo. 



brown ; the sides with larger spots of the same colour : tail with two or 

 three transverse bars towards the extremity: irides yellowish brown. 

 (Egg.) Pale brownish white, blotched with darker brown: long. diam. 

 two inches two lines ; trans, diam. one inch eight lines. 



A rare and only occasional visitant in this country. Has been twice 

 killed in Cambridgeshire ; been met with also in Norfolk, Suffolk, Kent, 

 the Isle of Wight, Gloucestershire, Northumberland, and other parts of 

 England. Food and habits much resembling those of the last species. 



(2. PERNIS, Cuv.) 



16. B. apivorus, Ray. (Honey Buzzard.) Upper 

 plumage brown, with cinereous bars on the wings : under 

 parts white, with triangular brown spots. 



Falco apivorus, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. i. p. 67. Honey Buzzard, 

 Mont. Orn. Diet. Selb. Illust. vol. i. p. 62. pi. 8. Bew. Brit. Birds, 

 vol. i. p. 24. 



DIMENS. Entire length one foot ten inches : length of the bill (from 

 the forehead) eleven lines, (from the gape) one inch six lines ; of the 

 tarsus two inches three lines ; of the tail eight inches ; from the carpus 

 to the end of the wing one foot four inches : breadth, wings extended, 

 four feet one inch. 



DESCRIPT. (Adult male.) Top of the head bluish ash; upper parts of 

 the body brown, inclining to cinereous: secondaries barred alternately with 

 dusky brown and bluish gray : under parts whitish, with brown spots, 

 which assume a triangular form on the breast and abdomen : tail with 

 three transverse dusky bars : cere greenish grey : inside of the mouth, 

 irides, and feet, yellow. (Female and young.) Forehead alone bluish ash ; 

 rest of the upper parts pale reddish brown, with a large dusky spot in 

 the centre of each feather : throat nearly white : fore part of the neck, 

 breast and belly, yellowish red, with large brown spots; sometimes light 

 brown, with reddish brown bars (Young of the year.) Upper parts like 

 those of the adult female, but the feathers on the head, neck, and greater 

 wing-coverts, tipped with white : quills dusky, tipped with white : throat 

 whitish ; rest of the under parts reddish white with large brown spots, 

 or reddish brown with a few partially white feathers intermixed, occa- 

 sionally of a uniform pale brown with fine longitudinal dusky streaks : 

 cere yellow : irides brown. Obs. This species appears to vary consider- 

 ably in plumage, especially in the immature state. (Egg.) Mottled 

 nearly all over with two shades of dark red brown, the white ground only 

 here and there visible : long. diam. two inches one line ; trans, diam. one 

 inch nine lines. 



Of rare occurrence in this country, especially in the adult state. Has 

 been met with in Hampshire, Berkshire, Norfolk, Northumberland, and 

 several times in Cambridgeshire. Feeds principally upon the larvae and 

 pupae of wasps during the season in which they are to be obtained ; at 

 other times, preys on small quadrupeds and birds. Is said to build in 

 tall trees. 



(3. CIRCUS, Bechst.) 



17. B. rufus, Nob. (Marsh Harrier.) General plumage 

 deep reddish brown : crown of the head yellowish white : 

 wings a little shorter than the tail. 



