MOOR BUZZARD, ll? 



black, with a yellow cere ; and the legs are yellow, 

 long, arid, slender. This species frequents heaths 

 and low watery grounds, and preys upon various 

 kinds of water-birds, as young ducks, &c. It also, 

 according to Mr. Pennant, is a great destroyer of 

 rabbits and fish. It makes its nest, which is said 

 to be composed of sticks, dry sedges and leaves, in 

 the midst of a tuft of grass or rushes. It is never 

 observed to soar, like most other Hawks, but either 

 to sit on the ground, or on some low bush. It is 

 sometimes seen entirely brown, or without the 

 least appearance of pale luteous on the head, &c; 



VAR? 



This, which is described by Doctor R. Forster 

 in the Philosophical Transactions under the name 

 of Falco spadiceus or Chocolate Falcon, and by Mr. 

 Pennant in the Arctic Zoology by the same title, 

 is, according to Mr. Latham, no other than a 

 variety of the Moor Buzzard, being merely rather 

 smaller, and without any spot on the head. It 

 should be observed however, that Doctor Forster 

 describes it as much less than the European Moor 

 Buzzard. The specimen described was sent from 

 Hudson's Bay. Mr. Pennant's Chocolate-Coloured 

 Falcon measures one foot ten inches, and is of a 

 deep bay or chocolate-colour, but with a patch or 

 speculum of pure white on the wings, formed by 

 the lower exterior side of the greater quill-feathers. 

 A farther variety has been mentioned by Mr. 

 Latham under the title of Placentia Falcon, entirely 



