92 FALCONID A. 
THe genus Pernis was proposed by Baron Cuvier for 
the Honey Buzzard of Hurope, to separate and distinguish 
it from the true Buzzards, on account of its less powerful 
beak,—the lore, or space between the beak and the eye, 
bemg defended by scale-lke feathers,—and the manner in 
which the legs were plumed, or otherwise covered and 
protected. 
The Honey Buzzard is a rare species in this country, 
more frequently met with from spring to autumn,— 
which, coupled with the circumstance of its food, when 
ascertained, being almost entirely composed of insects, has 
led to the supposition that this bird is only a summer 
visitor. Mr. Vieillot says of this species, which is not 
common in France, that it seldom flies except from one 
tree to another, or from bush to bush, and then always 
low, and that it runs when on the ground with great 
rapidity, like our common fowls,—a circumstance which is 
also noticed by Willughby. Several specimens taken in 
Northumberland have come under the examination of Mr. 
Selby of Twizel House; and some interesting observations 
in reference to the habits of the Honey Buzzard are con- 
tained in the annual address of Sir William Jardine, Bart. 
to the Members of the Berwickshire Naturalists’ Club in ~ 
September 1836. 
“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 accidentally 
observed to rise from the situation of a wasp’s nest, which 
it had been attempting to excavate, or, in fact, to a certain 
extent had accomplished; and the large hole which had 
been scraped showed that a much greater power could be 
employed, and that the bird possessed organs much better 
