OUR BIRDS OF PREY. 



75 



the Honey Buzzard. It is, however, the only species resident with us 

 through the year, for the second only comes in autumn as a 

 migrant, and the third only comes to nest. No doubt the game- 

 keeper destroys a Buzzard whenever he can ; but there need be no 

 hesitation in asserting that the threatened extermination of the two 

 nesting species really lies at the door of those naturalists who 



THE COMMON BUZZARD (BUTEO VULGARIs). 



collect and deal in skins and eggs, and whose senseless pride it is 

 to have none but British-taken specimens in their cabinets. This 

 enormity is only equalled by the folly of those who write to the 

 papers and tell them where to go. Surely that is to prostitute the 

 study of natural history. Not such was the spirit in which 

 Linnaeus, Gilbert White, and Charles Waterton showed their 

 reverence of nature. The Common Buzzard is a fine bird on the 



I. 2 



