Birds of Britain 



to answer for in the extirpation of many species, has not 

 failed to wage war on this beautiful bird. If we still want 

 to see him, as he soars round in graceful curves over his 

 forest home, we shall have to journey to the wilder parts of 

 Wales and Scotland, where alone he is still able to hold his 

 own. Over the rest of our islands he is, as a breeding species, 

 no longer extant, though every year a few migrants from 

 abroad seek our hospitality, only to be killed by the first 

 keeper that sees them. 



The nest is placed either on a ledge of a cliff or in the 

 fork of a tree, and is a bulky structure of sticks, lined and 

 surrounded with fresh leaves, which are continually renewed 

 as they wither. The eggs, four in number, are bluish white, 

 marked with rusty red near their larger end. Both sexes 

 incubate, and if the nest be approached, circle round and 

 round the intruder with piteous " mewing " note. As 

 far as game birds are concerned, this species is practi- 

 cally harmless, feeding almost entirely on ground game, 

 frogs, and reptiles, so that no one can have any excuse for 

 destroying it. 



It is a very variable species ; the general colour is dark 

 brown above and below with a whitish band showing longi- 

 tudinal dark stripes on the breast, but in some individuals 

 there is very much more white. The young bird is usually 

 paler on the upper parts. The female only differs from the 

 male in her slightly larger size. Length about 2 2 in. ; 

 wing 15*5 in. 



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