224 H O N E Y - B U Z Z A R D F AL C O N. 



heats of the eaft. They are obferved in vafl: numbers about Cairo, 

 where they are extremely tame, and feed even on dates, I fuppofe for 

 want of other food *. They alfo breed there j fo that, contrary to 

 the nature of other rapacious birds, they encreafe and multiply 

 twice in the year; once in the mild winters oi Egypt, and a fecond 

 time in the fummers of the north. It makes its appearance in Greece 

 in the fpring; and jn the early ages, fays Arijiophanei f , " it governed, 

 " that country : and men fell on their knees when they were firfl; 

 " blefled with the light of it, becaufe it pronounced the flight of 

 " winter, and told them to begin to fheer their vernal fleeces. The 

 " Crane likewife, by its autumnal departure, warns the mariner to 

 " hang up his rudder, and take his reft, and every prudent man to 

 " provide their winter garments : and the Swallow again informed 

 " them when they were to put on thofe of fummer. Thus, adds the 

 " chorus of birds, are we to you as Ammon, Dodona, Apollo ;" 

 meaning, in thofe early days, that man confulted only thefe natural 

 calendars, and needed no other than what they look from the flight 

 of birds J, or the flowering of plants. 



They inhabit England in all feafons, I have feen their young 

 taken, the laft week in May, or firil in June, in the great woods be- 

 longing to Sir Jo/eph Banks, in Lincobtjhire -, and have often obferved 

 them in various places in the depth of winter^ 



I. Honey Buzzard, £1: Zool. i. N" 56. — Latham, i. 52, N° 33. 

 Falco Apivorus Slaghok, Faun. Suec. N" 65. — ^Lev. Mvs. 



"p. With an afh-colored head; dark brown above; below white^ 

 fpotted or barred with rufty brown : tail brown, barred with 

 two dufky bars, remote from each other : legs ftrong and yellow : 

 •bill and cere black. Length twenty-three inches. Weight thirty 

 ounces. 



* Belcn Obf. xxxvi. p. 107. b. f ■^'ves. 



X See this fubjeft molt ingenioully handled in Mr, Stixlincfleet's Effays, in 

 ihe Calendar of Flora. 



Inhabits 



