The Keeper's Tree. 225 



I fancy that it is, especially in the forests, by far the most destruc- 

 tive of all the birds of prey. I have seen a goshawk strike down a 

 capercailly. 



The sparrow-hawk is a quick, spiteful little bird, and in Sweden 

 I have observed them pursue the snipe (often when I have flushed 

 them) more than any other hawk. 



Should the keeper fall in with a large brown hawk, not quite so 

 large as the goshawk, but more plump in the body, in which the 

 end of the tail is level with the closed wings, it is a buzzard. Of 

 these we have three British species, two of which, the rough-legged 

 buzzard and the honey buzzard, are rare in Britain. 



In the common buzzard the legs are bare, and the tail is dark 

 from the root to the tip. 



In the rough-legged buzzard the legs are feathered, and the root 

 of the tail is white. This is very conspicuous when the bird is in 

 the air. 



The honey buzzard is rather smaller than either of the two last, 

 and may always be known by the beak, the root of which, instead 

 of being covered with bristles, as in all other birds of prey, is covered 

 with small close-set feathers. 



Of the three I consider the rough-legged buzzard far the most 

 destructive to game ; and in Lapland, where these birds swarm on 

 the fells, I had good opportunities of seeing their eyries strewed 

 with the remains of ptarmigan. Doubtless both of the others will 

 also strike down game if it comes in their way, but, generally 

 speaking, the buzzard is a dull, sluggish bird, whose principal food 

 is frogs, lizards, snakes, and small animals. 



I may here remark that in most of the birds of prey whose 

 breasts are spotted, if the spots are longitudinal, or set end on end, 

 the bird is a young one (but may be two or three years old) ; if the 

 spots, however, are placed transversely or across, the bird is old, and 

 in full plumage. 



The osprey is very rare now in England, and its depredations are 

 principally confined to the river and fish-stews. Still it should 

 always be shot when an opportunity presents itself, for when an 



tt 



