6 A CATALOGUE OF THE BIEDS 



6. PERNIS, G. Cuvier. 



6. Honey Buzzaio). P. apivoeus, {LinncBUS.) 



Falco aj)h'oms, Bewick, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 1847, I., 42. 

 Pernis apivoms, Yarrell, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed, 4, I., 121. 



TMs is a sprrng-aiLd-autumii migrant. Mr. Selby considers 

 the Honey Buzzard to Le one of tlie rarest of the Falconidce, and 

 records in his catalogue the occurrence of only two individuals. 

 It is certainly now, according to my experience, one of the com- 

 monest larger birds of prey. Since 1831, and up to 1868, twenty- 

 five specimens have come under my notice, all taken within the 

 two counties. 



It occasionally breeds in the district. In 1841 it bred at 

 Newbiggin, near Hexham. I obtained two of the young of this 

 brood in August ; they were shot while perched on a branch of 

 the tree in which the nest was placed ; their feathers were not 

 fully grown, and it is evident that these birds could scarcely fly ; 

 they are in my collection. Young birds very much predom- 

 inate, and usually two or three are taken about the same time 

 and near the same place, as if they belonged to the same brood. 

 Out of the twenty-five captures above alluded to, only three 

 were ascertained to be mature birds. 



This species arrives on our coast in May, and takes its depar- 

 ture in August, September, and October, the old birds leaving 

 the district first, the immature frequently not till the middle of 

 October. I have in my possession a fine mature specimen that 

 was picked up, drowned, on "Whitley Sands, when I was on the 

 beach, on the 27th of August, 1835. I found one myself on the 

 22nd of September, 1841, an immature bii'd, washed up onBlyth 

 Sands. About a fortnight afterwards, the remains of another 

 immature specimen were found on the beach, near Newbiggin-by- 

 the-Sca. These birds had no doubt been attempting to leave the 

 coast, but meeting probably with thick or stormy weather, had 

 perished. 



I kept two or three Honey Buzzards alive for some time ; they 

 were very gentle in their habits, showing no signs of fear, and 



