1 64 THE BIRDS OF BERKS AND BUCKS. 



it used often to be observed gracefully sailing in the 

 air over the very Oxford streets.' Mr. Wolley told 

 me that while out for a stroll one day many years ago 

 in the fields near Eton, a Kite flew over his head, and 

 so low as to enable him to determine easily the 

 species by its forked tail. 



COMMON BUZZARD (Buteo vulgaris}. A Common 

 Buzzard was shot in Windsor Great Park by one of 

 the keepers in the summer of 1857. Another speci- 

 men was procured there about the same time, but by 

 the time it reached the birdstuffer's hands it was 

 useless. These two birds had been seen about for 

 some time together, and were probably a pair. 



In 1830 and 1831 a tame female Buzzard, kept at 

 Uxbridge, in a garden of the ' Chequers ' Inn, showed 

 a strong inclination to sit, by collecting sticks, &c. ; 

 her owner then supplied her with the necessary 

 materials for forming a nest : she sat on and hatched 

 two chicken's eggs ; and since then she has brought 

 up chickens every year.* 



A fine male of the Common Buzzard \vas shot at 

 Hollyport in 1862, and was sent to Mr. Briggs 

 of Cookham for preservation. The way in which it 

 was captured was curious: A man named Wells 

 was trying to shoot some \Vood Pigeons, and had 

 placed upon the ground a stuffed bird as a decoy. 

 He had not waited long before the above-mentioned 

 Buzzard swept down, and was carrying off the stuffed 



* Yarrell's ' British Birds,' vol. i. p. 84. 



