niRD!). 87 



strayed too far from the mother, instantly seizes the hour of ca- 

 lamity, and like a famished glutton, is sure to show no mercy. 

 His lumger, indeed, often urges him to acts of seeming despera- 

 tion, I have seen one of them fly round and round for a while 

 to mark a clutch of chickens, and then on a sudden dart like 

 lightning upon the unresisting little animal, and carry it off, 

 the hen in vain crying out, and the boys hooting and casting 

 stones to scare it from its plunder. For this reason, of all 

 birds, the kite is the good housewife's greatest tormentor and 

 aversion. 



Of all obscene birds, the kite is the best known ; but the 

 buzzard among us is the most plenty.* He is a sluggish, inac- 

 tive bird, and often remains perched whole days together upon 

 the same bough. He is rather an assassin than a pursuer ; and 



♦ The Common Buzzard preys upon leverets, rabbits, game, and small birds, 

 all of whicli it pounces on the ground. It also devours moles and mice, and, 

 when pressed by hunger, will feed on reptiles and insects. It breeds in 

 woods, and forms its nest of sticks, lined with wool, hay, and other mate- 

 rials, and will sometimes occupy the deserted nest of a trow. 



The eggs are two or three in number, larger than those of a hen, and are 

 white, either plain or spotted with reddish-brown. The young, according 

 to Pennant, remain in company with the parent birds for some time after 

 having quitted the nest, — a circumstance at variance with the usual habits 

 of birds of prey. It is common in all the wooded parts of Europe, and ac. 

 cording to Temminck, very abundant in Holland. In France this bird is 

 killed during the winter for the sake of its flesh, wliich is esteemed delici- 

 ous eating. 



The Hough-legged Buzzard is a rare British species, and can only be con- 

 sidered as an occasional visitant. Montagu mentions two or three instances 

 of its having been taken in the South of England. 



It is a native of Norway, and other northern countries of Europe, where 

 it frequents marshy districts, preying upon leverets, hamsters, water-rats, 

 moles, and frequently lizzards and frogs. According to Temminck, it builds 

 In lofty trees, and lays four white eggs, spotted with reddish-brown. 



The Hone!/ Buzzard preys upon moles, mice, and small birds, and on liz- 

 zards and insects, particularly, wasps, bees, and their larva?, «liich should 

 appear to be their favourite food. 



Its flight is easy and graceful, and it is firequently seen near pieces of wa 

 ter, on account of the Libellul.ne, and other aquatic insects. It breeds in 

 lofty trees, forming a nest of twigs lined with wool, and other soft mate- 

 rials. The eggs are small, in proportion to the size of the bird, of a yel- 

 lowish-white, marked with numerous spots and stains of reddish. brown, 

 sometimes so confluent as to malco them appear almost entirely brown. It 

 is a native of eastern climes, and according to Temminck, is as rare in 

 Holland as in England. In the south of I-'rance it is more abundant, but 

 migratory. 



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