292 THE COMMON BUZZARD. 



the habit of laying her eggs year after year in the same nest, and mak- 

 ing additions of new building materials at every fresh breeding season. 

 She commences this task at a very early period of the year, deposit- 

 ing her eggs in January, and hatching her young by the middle of 

 February. 



It is always a very affectionate bird, tends its young as long as they 

 are helpless and unfledged, and will not forsake them even if the tree 

 on which they rest be enveloped in flames. 



The Bald Eagle often takes advantage of the fishing talents of the 

 Osprey by robbing the lesser bird of its prey. The Eagle is, in truth, 

 no very great fisher, but is very fond of fish, and finds that the easiest 

 mode of obtaining the desired dainty is to rob those who are better qual- 

 ified than himself for the sport. 



The Bald Eagle is very accommodating in his appetite, and will eat 

 almost anything that has ever possessed animal life. He is by no means 

 averse to carrion, and has been seen seated regally upon a dead horse, 

 keeping at a distance a horde of vultures which were collected round 

 the carcase, and not permitting them to approach until he had gorged 

 himself to the full. Another individual was seen by Wilson under sim- 

 ilar circumstances. He had taken possession of a heap of dead squir- 

 rels that had been accidentally drowned, and prevented any other bird 

 or beast of prey from approaching his treasure. He is especially fond 

 of lambs, and is more than suspected of aiding the death of many a 

 sickly sheep by the dexterous use of his beak and claws. 



The Bald Eagle is found throughout the whole of North America, 

 and may be seen haunting the greater part of the sea-coasts as well as 

 the mouths of the large rivers. 



The Common Buzzard is one of the handsomest of the F.ilconidae, 

 and is one which, although banished from the greater part of England, 

 is still found plentifully in many parts of Scotland and Ireland. 



The plumage of this bird is looser and more downy than is seen in the 

 generality of the hawk tribe, and bears a certain resemblance to that of 

 the owl. This peculiarity is explained by the habits of the bird, which 

 will presently be narrated. The average length of a Buzzard is from 

 twenty to twenty-two inches, and the tinting of its plumage is extremely 

 variable, even in adult birds. The usual coloring is as follows : The 

 back and whole of the upper surface are a rich brown, becoming 

 lighter on the head and neck, and diversified with longitudinal streaks 

 of the darker hue. The tail is also dark brown, but is varied with 

 stripes of a lighter color, and the primary feathers of the wings are 

 nearly black. The under portions of the body are gray-white, marked 

 on the neck, chest, and abdomen with spots and streaks of brown. The 

 claws are black, the bill is a deep blue-black, and the legs, toes, and 

 ears are yellow. 



