138 BUZZARDS, KITES, HAWKS, ETC. 



bait, otherwise the jaws might only catch the bait and 

 miss the vermin. 



The grey bob-tailed buzzard or puttock is of much 

 the same nature as the former, hunting parks and 

 warrens, for the destruction of rabbits and pheasants, 

 going in search of them when the morning light appears. 

 It is smaller than the eagle-buzzard, which is its only 

 difference from that bird. You may catch it with the 

 steel trap before described, baited with the entrails of 

 fowls or rabbits, or with some of the pieces of rabbits 

 which may have been accidentally killed. It is to be 

 caught easiest in winter time, for then it haunts one 

 place for a month together in a warren, and at that 

 season it is short or destitute of food. 



The large forked-tail kite is the largest and heaviest 

 bird of the hawk kind in England, but ~not near so 

 fierce as the eagle-buzzard, being rather of a sluggish 

 and indolent disposition, not caring much to hunt after 

 prey ; but when the other kites and hawks have killed 

 any birds, it comes upon them, and beats them away, and 

 then devours the birds themselves. These birds chiefly 

 dwell in woods and desert places, and frequent the sides 

 of rivers and brooks, being fond of fish, and often eat 

 the tails of the fishes which the otter has left. You 

 may catch them by setting two traps in the same man- 

 ner as you do for the buzzard ; bait them with, a piece 

 of fish, if you have it, or with a rat, or the entrails of 

 fowls or rabbits ; and when once you discover the places 



