The Rouch-Lecced Buzzard i«7 



mountains and wastes, over which it roams witii a more powerful flight than that 

 of the other species, preying upon hares, rabbits, mice, lemmings, moles, frogs, 

 lizards, etc. It glides along " Eagle-like, with out-spread wings and tail, surveying 

 the ground below. When pressed by hunger it will often feed on carrion, like 

 the Eagles ; but it does not appear to prey much on birds, unless it discovers 

 them wounded and comparatively helpless." It breeds in high cliffs, in places 

 that are usually inaccessible, the female sitting verj^ close, and being hard to 

 dislodge from the nest ; this is a large structure built up of branches of birch or 

 juniper, and lined with grass ; sometimes the nest is placed in a tree. The eggs 

 are slightly larger than those of the Common Buzzard, and are laid in May ; they 

 are occasionall}^ ver\- handsomely marked with blotches of rich red, but the more 

 usual type is a dull white all over with but few markings. Many varieties occur 

 as is the rule -nath the eggs of all the Buzzard family ; the clutch is usually three 

 in number, the eggs measuring from 2-25 to 2-1 inches, by from r8 to 1-65 

 inches. 



When on wing the Rough-legged Buzzard can be easih" recognized by the 

 white on the tail. In this species the usual rule for the colouring of the plumage 

 in the Falcoiiidct — that the 3"oung birds are dark and the adults much lighter in 

 colour — is reversed, as the adults are dark, and the immature birds much lighter. 

 However, another canon as to plumage is maintained, for the 3'oung birds have 

 the longitudinal dark markings, instead of transverse, on their lower parts, which 

 characterize the j-oung of the Accipitres. 



The adult male has the head creamy- white, striated with dark brown and 

 rufous ; upper parts verj- dark brown, blotched and barred ^\•ith dull white and 

 rufous ; basal two-thirds of the tail white, remainder greyish, tinged mth rufous : 

 a verv' broad subterminal dark band, and three or four other dark broad bands ; 

 buflEsh white at the tip ; lower parts cream}- white, spotted and barred with brown 

 and rufous ; a band of white across the lower breast, sparingly barred with brown ; 

 flanks boldl}- barred with blackish : thighs rufous, broadh' barred with brown : 

 bill blackish horn, bluish at the base ; irides bro^^"n ; feet and cere 3-ellow. The 

 sexes diifer onh' in size, the female being largest. Length — male. 23 inches ; 

 female, 26 inches. Younger birds have their heads almost pure creamy- white, 

 ■^rith more white on the throat and chest : their upper parts are dark brown, less 

 margined with white than in adults ; under parts with longitudinal streaks of 

 brown ; and a broad band of uniform dark brown on the abdomen. 



The Rough-legged Buzzard is also subject to considerable variations in 

 plumage; melanisms. however, appear to be rare. In the winter of 1876, when a 

 large flight of these Buzzards \-isited this countrj,-, a ver\- dark bird was trapped 



