56 FOOD AND HABITS OF THE HONEY BUZZARD. 



Whenever a Honey Buzzard has been killed, and the stomach opened, it has always 

 been found to contain insects of some kind. In one case, when a Honey Buzzard was 

 shot in Ireland, and examined by Mr. Thompson, the stomach contained some larvae of 

 small beetles, as well as the perfect insects, which it had evidently obtained by grubbing 

 in cow-dung, as its biU and forehead were covered with that substance in a perfectly fresh 

 state. Some white hairy caterpillars, the pupse of a butterfly, and three of the common 

 six-spot Burnet moth {Zygoena filipendiLla), were also discovered in the stomach, together 

 with some short lengths of grass stems, which had probably been swallowed together with 

 the pupa-case of the Bui-net moth, as that insect always suspends itself upon a stalk of 

 grass when it is about to change into the perfect state. 



Another specimen, which was captured in Northumberland, was observed by Mr. Selby, 

 who makes the following remarks. 



" The district around Twizel appears to have something attractive to this species, for 

 within these few years several specimens have been procured both in the adult and 

 immature plumage. The bird in question was observed to rise from the situation of a 

 wasp's nest, which it had been attempting to excavate, as, in fact, to a certain extent, it had 

 accomphshed ; and the large hole which had been scooped showed that a much greater 

 power could be employed, and the bird possessed organs much better fitted to remove the 

 obstacles which generally concealed its prey than a superficial examination of the feet and 

 legs would warrant us in ascribing to it. A few hours afterwards, the task was found 

 to be entu-ely completed, the comb torn out and cleaned from the immature young; and 

 after dissection proved that at this season (autumn), at least, birds or mammalia 

 formed one part of the food. A steel trap, baited with the comb, secured the aggressor 

 in the course of the next day, when he had returned to view the scene of his previous 

 havoc." 



This bird seems to be specially defended by nature against the attacks of the 

 irritated wasps, who would constantly use their stings very freely against the invader of 

 their premises. Tlie only vulnerable parts which they could find in a well-feathered bird, 

 would be the naked skin round the eyes and at the base of the beak. In the genus 

 Pernis, however, this sldn is thickly covered with feathers, so that the bird can bid defiance 

 to the poisoned lances of its irritated foes. 



The Honey Buzzard does not, however, restrict itself solely to insect food, for it has 

 often been observed to catch and devour birds and various quadrupeds. An instance of 

 its predatorial propensities is given by Mr. Watters, in his " Birds of Ireland." The 

 Honey Buzzard had been seen for several successive summers haunting the same locality, 

 and killing the coots that frequented a piece of water. A coot was therefore shot, 

 poisoned with strychnine, and laid out as a bait for the Honey Buzzard, and on the next 

 day the bird was found dead at some distance from the spot. When in confinement this 

 bird Avill eat mice, rats, birds, meat, and similar articles of diet. 



The nest of the Honey Buzzard is made in some lofty tree, and is generally composed 

 of little twigs as a foundation upon whicli are laid leaves, wool, and other soft materials. 

 The eggs are generally two in number, and are very variable in colouring, some having a 

 dark red band round the middle, and others being covered with dark red blotches. A curious 

 description of a Honey Buzzard's nest is given by Willoughby. " We saw one that had 

 made use of an old kite^s nest to breed in, and that fed its young with nymphse of wasps, 

 for in the nests were found the combs of wasp's nests, and in the stomachs of the young 

 the limbs and fragments of wasp maggots. There were in the nest but two young ones, 

 covered with a white down, spotted with black. Their feet were of a pale yellow ; their 

 bills, between the nostrils and head, white ; their craws large, in which were lizards, frogs, 

 &c. In the crop of one of them we found two lizards entire, with their heads lying 

 towards the bird's mouth, as if they sought to creep out." 



The colouring of the Honey Buzzard is very variable, but is generally as follows. The 

 back and upper portions are brownish-black, the primaries being chiefly black. The top of 

 the head and back of the neck are yellowish-white marked with brown dashes and streaks ; 

 the under portions are yellowish-brown, each feather being marked with a stripe of brown 

 down its middle, and a number of narrow bands run irregularly across the abdomen. 



