COMMON BUZZARD. 



BUTEO VULGARIS, Leach. 



Buteo vulgaris, Leach, Syst. Cat. Mamm. & Birds in Brit. 



Mus. p. 10 (1816) ; Hewitson, i. p. 38; Yarr. ed. 4, i. 



p. 109 ; Dresser, v. p. 449. 

 Falco buteo, Linn. S. N. i. p. 127; Naum. i. p. 346. 

 Buteo fuscuSj Macg. iii. p. 183. 



B^lse, French ; Bussard, Mduse-Bussard, German ; Arpella, 

 Spanish. 



The Buzzard was formerly common and well known 

 throughout England, Wales, and Scotland, and in 

 Thompson's time was also to be met with in certain 

 localities in Ireland ; but although it still holds its own 

 in some of the wilder districts of our country, its 

 numbers have been very greatly reduced by trapping 

 and shooting, and in the agricultural parts of England 

 it may fairly now be called a rare bird. I am personally 

 acquainted with several nesting-places of this species in 

 England and Scotland ; the nest is generally built on 

 cliffs, or tall trees, and is composed of sticks and twigs, 

 with wool and dried grass as lining ; the eggs, generally 

 three in number, are white, with spots and streaks of 

 rusty red-brown. 



