26 BRITISH BIRDS' EGGS. 



THE SWALLOW-TAILED NAUCLERUS. Nauclermfurcatus. 

 One of these birds took refuge in a thicket, during a 

 storm, from the persecution of a flock of rooks, in 1805, in 

 Yorkshire, and was seized before it could extricate itself. 

 Another specimen was killed in Argyleshire. On these two 

 specimens its claim rests to be numbered with British birds ; 

 and while the facts cannot be challenged, it is truly mar- 

 vellous how a bird a native of the southern parts of North 

 America ever succeeded in reaching our shores. Its nest 

 and eggs are at present only known by report and descrip- 

 tion in this country. The nest, it is said, resembles that of 

 a Crow, being composed of dried sticks lined with grass and 

 a few feathers. The eggs are of a greenish- white colour, with 

 a few irregular blotches of dark -brown at the larger end. 



THE EOUGH- LEGGED BUZZARD. Buteo lagopus. This 

 bird is said to appear pretty frequently in the south of 

 England, and most regularly on the Suffolk and Norfolk 

 downs, where, in the country adjacent to the coast, it is 

 accused of committing much depredation in the rabbit war- 

 rens. It is sparingly distributed over the northern parts of 

 Europe, and has been found breeding in the fur countries 

 of North America. The nest, placed in lofty trees, is 

 formed of sticks, with a slight lining; and the eggs, which 



