Birds. 9417 



tree ; from its appearance I believed it to contain young hawks. Slopping near tbe 

 tree, wiih gmi in hand, the old bird kept flying round; al lust it alighted on the top 

 of a tree within shot. I let ^o, and brouuht it down. I gathered ihe bird, and then 

 went up the tree, and found six young hawks, just in white down, which I 

 left. On my way home I met one of the members of the Huddersfield Naturalists' 

 St.cieiy, and save him the bird I had shol, which he pronounced lo be a female 

 spanowhawk {Falco nisus). I lold him if he would send to my house on the day but 

 one following, I would give him the young ones, with the other parent, if we could 

 get ii. The next morning I took the watchers to show them the nesl: one of them 

 went up the tree, and found tliree small birds laid on the young hawks. I gave orders 

 to the men that one of ihem should be near the nen on the following morning al break 

 of day, and iry lo shoot ihe other bird: he went and waited several hours, but never 

 saw it: according to my orders, he then went up the tree lo lake the young ones, and 

 found no less than fourteen youn^ birds, chiefly sparrows, laid on ihe young ones, and 

 they were ail dead. The only inference I can draw is this, — that the male bird has 

 lo provide the food, and the duty of the female is to slay near the young and feed 

 them, and because she was wanting ihey all died in the midst of plenty. I may add 

 thai ihe birds were all stuffd, and the young ones pul into a nice nesl, ihe female 

 standing by tearing up a sparrow and feeding her young. A male liird of the same 

 kind is iniroducrd into ihe case, and ihey have been exhibiied during the Exhibition 

 of the Huddeisfifld Xaturalisis' Society, which was opened by the Earl of Dartmouth 

 on the Nth of October, where tliey have been admired by thousands." Thinking 

 the liisl(uy of ihe hawks might interest some of the readers of the 'Zoologist,' I for- 

 ward it for publication. — /aniM Vadetj ; Almondbury Bank, Huddersfield, No- 

 vember 14, 18(54. 



Coinmnn Buzzard in the East of Cornwall. — A great number of the common 

 buzzard bave made their appearance in the eastern pari of the county, over a large 

 area of country, liuring the late easterly winds. The appearance of all our birds of 

 prty is always intere>ting, from iheir natural wild character, as well as from their 

 form, plumajie, habits and fli-ht. In looking at the economy of Nature in all her 

 producti.ms, «ery little trouble is necessary to lind the law of coinpcnsaiion apply in a 

 more or less dejiree to e»ery ireature; thus, iu the common buzzard, the contents of 

 the craw of one lately preserved by Mr. Viny:oe showed pred.itory mischief only iu the 

 capture of a blind snake and a nto]e.— Edward Hearle Rodd ; November 5, 1864. 



Honrt/ Biizzurd near Beverley.— Dm'wjr the latter pi.rt ol September last, I added 

 to my colli clion two fine specimens of tbe honey buzzard. Both of these birds were 

 shot near Beverley, and within three miles of one another. The first was sliol on Sep- 

 tember -220(1, 1864, and was sent to me in the flesh. In c.d.uir it was light brown, 

 excepting the primaries, which were blackish brown. Many of the f.aibers were edged 

 or tipped with a creamy gray colour, especially on the nape and beneath ihe chin. 

 This bird proved, on dissection, lo be an immature male. Tbe siomach contained the 

 remains of one of ibe Coleopiera only. The second specimen was shot on September 

 26ih, 1864, and was also sent to me in ihe flesh. In colour it appeared to me most 

 peculiar, althoufjh I am aware how liable these birds are to vary in plumage. It was 

 of a uniform dark blackish brown colour ihroughoul. In size it was rather larger ihaa 

 the first specimen. On dissection I found that it was an immature male, I should say 

 about the same age as the first specime:), although so difi'erent in colour. Its craw 

 and stomach were both filled to distention with wasp-grubs, on which it must have 



VOL. XXIII. -P 



