COMMON BUZZARD. 85 
Though more rare now than formerly, an enumeration of 
county localities for a bird so well known will probably be 
considered unnecessary. According to Mr. Thompson, as 
stated in his contributions to the Natural History of Ire- 
land, now in course of publication in the Magazine of 
Zoology and Botany, this species is of common occurrence 
im several parts of Ireland. In Scotland the Buzzard is not 
very plentiful, nor is it included either by the Rev. Mr. 
Low or Mr. Dunn in their accounts of the Birds of Orkney 
and Shetland; yet it inhabits Denmark, Norway, Sweden, 
and Russia. It is well known over the wooded parts of the 
continent of Europe south of Russia, and is abundant in 
Holland, where, according to M. Temminck, it makes its 
appearance in autumn and remains till the spring. It in- 
habits Spain, Portugal, and Italy, and passes over the 
Mediterranean to North Africa ; but Madeira, Sicily, Crete, 
Smyrna and Trebizond, appear to be the southern and 
eastern limits of the range of the Common Buzzard. 
In North America Dr. Richardson observed the Common 
Buzzard as high as the 57th parallel of latitude, and con- 
sidered that it went still farther north. This bird visits the 
fur-countries in the middle of April, and leaves by the end 
of September. 
The whole length of the Common Buzzard is from twenty 
to twenty-two inches, depending on the sex,—the females, 
as in the FKalconide generally, bemg the largest. From 
the habit of seeking food late in the evening observed in 
this species, and also in the Rough-legged Buzzard next to 
be described—in the softer and more downy texture of the 
feathers as compared with the plumage of the true Falcons, 
the Buzzards are considered as indicating an approach to 
the Owls. 
The beak is bluish black, darkest im colour towards the 
