THE COMMON BUZZARD. 57 



as far as it can and snatching up the fish with its beak. Audubon 

 gives a splendid description of the chase of a 

 swan by an Eagle, but want of space prevents 

 insertion. 



Like the Golden Eagle, this bird lives con- 

 stantly with its mate, and hunts in company. It 

 fj" J|p^*^\^ l avs from two to four eggs, of a dull white color 



in a huge nest placed in a tall tree. 

 The claws of this bird are grooved beneath, and the hind claw is 

 the longest. The feet are half-feathered, and the fourth primary 

 feather of the wing is the longest. When full grown, the general 

 color of the bird is a deep, brownish black, but its head, neck, tail, 

 and upper tail-coverts are white. 



THE COMMON BUZZARD. 



The Buzzard is about twenty inches in length, and four feet and a 

 half in breadth. Its bill is lead-colored. The upper parts of the body 

 are dusky : and the lower pale, varied with brown. The wings and 

 tail are marked with bars of a darker hue. The tail is grayish beneath 

 nd tipped with dusky white. The legs are yellowish, and the claws 

 black. 



This well-known bird is of a sedentary and indolent disposition ; it 

 will frequently continue perched for many hours successively upon a 

 tree or eminence, from which it darts upon such prey as come within 

 its reach. It feeds on birds, small quadrupeds, reptiles and insecta 

 Though possessed of strength, agility, and weapons to defend itself, it 

 is cowardly, inactive, and slothful. It will fly from a Sparrow-hawk ; 

 and, when overtaken, will suffer itself to be beaten, and even brought 

 to the ground, without resistance. 



There are few birds of the hawk species more common in this 

 country, than the buzzard. It breeds in large woods ; and usually 

 builds in an old crow's nest, which it enlarges, and lines with wool 

 imd other soft materials. It feeds and tends its offspring, which are 

 generally two or three in number, with great assiduity. Mr. Eay 

 affirms, that if the female be killed during the time of incubation, the 

 male Buzzard will take the charge of the young ones, and will patiently 

 rear them till they are able to provide for' themselves. 



The following anecdote, which was related by M. Fontaine, cur de 

 St. .Pierre de Belesme, to M. de Buffon, will show that the Buzzard 

 may be so far tamed, as to be rendered a faithful domestic. "In 1763 

 (says this gentleman,) a Buzzard was brought to me that had been 

 taken in a snare. It was at first wild and ferocious. I undertook to 

 tame it; and I succeeded, by leaving it to fast, and constraining it to 

 come and eat out of my hand. By pursuing this plan, I brought it to 

 be very familiar ; and, after having shut it up about six weeks, I began 

 to allow it a little liberty, taking the precaution, however, to tie both 

 pinions of its wings. In this condition it walked out into m\ garden, 

 and returned when I called it to feed. After some time, \vh< n f judged 



