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COMMON BUZZARD. 
Fatco BuTEO, Linn. 
PLATE CCCLXXII. Fermate. 
Tue specimen from which the figure before you was taken, was 
shot by Dr TownsEeNnpD on a rock near the Columbia River, on which 
it had its nest. Unfortunately, however, he has not supplied me with 
any account of this species, and the only notice respecting its habits 
that I have seen, is that in the Fauna Loreali-Americana, by Dr Ricu- 
arpson :—* The Common Buzzard arriving in the Fur Countries in 
the middle of April very soon afterwards begins to build its nest ; and, 
having reared its young, departs about the end of September. It haunts 
the low alluvial points of land which stretch out under the high banks 
of a river ; and may be observed sitting for a long time motionless on 
the bough of a tree, watching patiently for some small quadruped, bird, 
or reptile, to pass within its reach. As soon as it espies its prey, it 
glides silently into the air, and, sweeping easily and rapidly down, 
seizes it in its claws. When disturbed, it makes a short circuit, and 
soon settles on another perch. It builds its nest on a tree, of short 
sticks, ling it sparingly with deer’s hair. The eggs, from three to 
five in number, are equal in size to those of the domestic fowl, and have 
a greenish-white colour, with a few large dark brown blotches at the 
thick end. It was seen by the Expedition as far north as the fifty- 
seventh parallel of latitude, and it most probably has a still higher 
range.” 
Fatco Buteo, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 127.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 23. 
Butro vuuearis, Common Buzzarp, Richards. and Swains. Fauna Bor.-Amer. 
vol. ii p. 47. 
Female. Plate CCCLXXII. 
-Bill short, strong, as broad as deep at the base, compressed toward 
the end. Upper mandible cerate, its dorsal outline declinate and a 
little convex as far as the cere, then decurved, the sides rapidly sloping, 
towards the end nearly perpendicular but convex, the edge with a slight 
. 
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