FALCONID^E. 27 



slightly wounded it, and being anxious to keep it 

 alive, tied it to a tree in an orchard while he went 

 into a farm-house for luncheon ; when he came back 

 of course the bird had escaped, nor could he find it 

 again anywhere. I have no doubt, from the descrip- 

 tion given to me, that this was the Boughlegged 

 Buzzard : moreover, the gentleman who shot it was 

 perfectly competent to form an opinion on the 

 identity of a bird so easily distinguished by its 

 feathered legs. 



The food of the Roughlegged Buzzard appears to 

 be much the same as that of the Common Buzzard, 

 namely, hares, rabbits, rats, mice, and other small 

 quadrupeds, as well as some reptiles, such as lizards 

 and frogs : it is, however, more enterprising on the 

 wing, as it will take Wild Ducks and other large 

 birds when pressed by hunger. 



The nest is described as being a coarse edifice of 

 sticks, moss and grass, loosely put together; was 

 often on a fell ridge, often in a tree, but never down 

 in the forest.* 



This species differs occasionally in plumage ; the 

 description here given is taken from the one bought 

 at the Sandhill sale : it agrees very nearly with those 



* See a note by Mr. Wheelwright, in the 'Field,' 

 reprinted in the ' Zoologist ' for 1863, p. 8441. Mr. Wheel- 

 wright writes from Sweden, where these birds appear to be 

 corn raon in the spring. 



D 2 



