34 BUZZARD. 



found wandering on dry land out of, and far away from their 

 more proper element. The way in which the Buzzard procures 

 moles is, it is said, by watching patiently by their haunts, 

 until the moving of the earth caused by their subterraneous 

 burrowings, points out to him their exact locality, and the 

 knowledge of it thus acquired he immediately takes advantage 

 of to their destruction. His feet, legs, and bill being often 

 found covered with earth or mud is thus accounted for. 



The Buzzard never, or very rarely, attempts to obtain its 

 prey by pursuit. It prowls about, and pounces down on 

 whatever may be so unlucky as to fall in its way. Feeding, 

 as it does, on various kinds of vermin, it is of great service 

 in corn-growing countries, and according to Mr. Meyer, is 

 itself esteemed a delicacy on the continent, notwithstanding 

 the not over nice selection of its own food. 



The note of the Common Buzzard is wild and striking, its 

 shrillness conveying a melancholy idea though, as every feeling 

 of melancholy produced by any thing in nature must be, of a 

 pleasing kind when heard in the retired situations in which 

 this bird delights. One of its local names is the Shreak, 

 evidently derived from the sound of its note. 



These birds pair in the beginning of March, at which time 

 they may be seen wheeling about, and often at a great height 

 above the place of their intended abode, in slow and graceful 

 flight. They are very attentive to their young, and are said 

 not to drive them away so soon as other Hawks do theirs; 

 but to allow them to remain in company with them, and to 

 render assistance to them for some time after they have been 

 able to fly, in the same way that Eooks and some other birds 

 do. 



The Buzzard is extremely fond, even in captivity, of the 

 task of incubation: one at Uxbridge, a female, brought up 

 safely several broods of chickens, to which she proved a most 

 kind and careful foster-mother. The landlord of the inn, in 

 whose garden she was kept, noticing her desire to build and 

 to sit, supplied her with materials for a nest, and with hen's 

 eggs for the purpose, and this was repeated with the like 

 success for several years. On one occasion, thinking to save 

 her the trouble of sitting, he provided her with chickens 

 ready hatched, but these she destroyed. She seemed uneasy 

 when her adopted brood turned away from the meat she put 

 before them to the grain which was natural to them. Several 

 other similar instances are on record. 



