THE BUZZARD. 29 



by leaving it to fast, and then constraining it to come and eat out 

 of my hand. By 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 my garden, 

 and returned when I called it to feed. After some time I re- 

 moved the ligatures, and fastened a small bell above its talons, 

 and also attached on its breast a bit of copper with my name 

 engraven on it. I then gave it entire liberty, which it soon 

 abused ; for it took wing, and flew as far as the forest of Dele- 

 mere. I gave it up for lost : but some hours after I saw it rush 

 into my hall, pursued by five other buzzards, who had constrain- 

 ed it to seek again its asylum. 



" After this adventure, it ever preserved its fidelity to me, 

 coming every night to sleep on my window, and growing so fa- 

 miliar, as to seem to take singular pleasure in my company. It 

 attended constantly at dinner, sat on a corner of the table, and 

 very often caressed me with its head and bill. It one day fol- 

 lowed me when I was on horseback, more than two leagues, 

 flying above my head. 



'• It had an aversion both to dogs and cats, and had often 

 tough battles with them, but always came off victorious. I had 

 four very strong cats, which I collected into my garden with my 

 buzzard : I threw to them a bit of raw flesh ; the nimblest cat 

 seized it, and the rest pursued, but the bird darted upon her 

 body, bit her ears with his bill, and squeezed her sides with his 

 talons so forcibly, that she was often obliged to relinquish her 

 prize. Often another cat snatched it the moment it dropped ; but 

 she suffered the same treatment ; till the buzzard had got entire 

 possession of the plunder. 



" This buzzard would not suffer a red cap on the head of any 

 of the peasants ; and so alert was he in whipping it off, that they 

 found their heads bare without knowing what was become of 

 their caps. He also snatched wigs, without doing any injury, 

 and carried them to the tallest tree in a neighbouring park, 

 which was the ordinary depot of his booty. 



" He did no mischief in my court-yard ; and the poultry, which 

 at first dreaded him, grew insensibly reconciled to him. But 

 whit is singular, he was not gentle to my neighbour's poultry; 

 and I was often obliged to publish that I would pay for the 

 damages he might occasion. However, he was frequently fired 

 at, and, at different times, received fifteen musket-shots, without 

 suffering any fracture. But once, hovering over the skirts of a 

 forest, he dared to attack a fox, and the keeper, seeing him on 

 the shoulders of the fox, fired two shots at him : the fox was 

 killed, and the buzzard had his wing broken ; yet, notwithstand- 



C 2 



