BUZZARD. 45 



which were also found in it; vet no one would therefore 

 contend that moss formed part of its food. It was observed 

 by Mr. Fisher, when very hungry, to swallow pieces of comb 

 with the larva? in it, eating both together in its hurry; but 

 'when it was not very hungry, it used to pick the insects 

 out, and reject the comb. 



In this country many more specimens of this bird have been 

 noticed and procured of late years than formerly, doubtless 

 from more attention having been directed to the study of 

 ornithology. Montagu says that in his time it was extremely 

 rare, and he describes a specimen which was killed at High- 

 clere, the seat of the Earl of Carnarvon, in Berkshire. The 

 Rev. Gilbert White mentions the circumstance of a pair 

 having built in his parish, in Selborne Hanger, (the common 

 name in Berkshire for a wood.) Latham had only seen one 

 recent specimen, and though Willughby says that it was 

 tolerably common in his time, yet he most probably was not 

 speaking with any very great accuracy. A. E. Knox, Esq. 

 says that it is more frequent in Sussex than either the Xite 

 or the so-called Common Buzzard. It will be observed that 

 most of the specimens which have occurred have been on the 

 eastern side of the island, which seems rather to confirm the 

 supposition, suggested by the nature of its food and the 

 season of the year it has been met with, that it is a summer 

 visitant. 



It is easily tamed, and shews little or none of the fierceness 

 of birds of prey. 



In Yorkshire, a few specimens have been met with in the 

 East and West Jlidings, more, it is said, in the neighbourhood 

 of Doncaster, than in any other part, and it is not unlikely, 

 as there are a great many large woods, as I well know, on 

 all sides of that handsome town. One killed near York has 

 the honour of being preserved in the British Museum. In 

 the year 1S49, one was obtained at Bridlington-Quay in the 

 following curious manner: The goodman of the house had 

 gone to bed, and about twelve o'clock at night, he was 

 disturbed by a beating against his window. The noise con- 

 tinuing, he got up, opened the lattice, and captured a fine 

 Honey Buzzard, which had been flapping and beating against 

 it. In Northumberland, one was killed at Wallington, and 

 another in Thrunton Wood in the same county, in the vear 

 1S2J), as recorded by the Hon. H. T. Liddell. *One shot near 

 Blaydon, two picked up dead on the sea shore, and two 



