FALCOXID.E. 147 



that fine old covert whilst riding quietly through this autumu " (in Utt. 

 Oct. 16, IbTO). 



The liuzzard preys chiefly on young hai'es and rahbits and feathered 

 game ; also on carrion, worms, and beetles, and Mr. Cecil Smith found a 

 quantity of earwigs in the stomach of one which he dissected. An (gg of 

 the Common Buzzard was once presented to us bj' a Haven. As we 

 turned the corner of a cliff, we came close upon a Eaven with an egg in 

 its beak, which it left as it made off, and which we found to be a fresh- 

 laid Buzzard's egg. 



The Buzzard breeds on precipices of the sea-clifFs and on trees in woods ; 

 on the sea-cliffs near Plymouth (R. A. J., 'Naturalist,' 1853, p. 118); 

 also on the Bolt Head (II. P. JN".). There was a nest at Dartmouth in 

 1857 ; and the bird has also bred in Halwell Wood, near Ivingsbridge 

 (E. A. S. E.). A pair were killed close to their nest near Plymouth in 

 May 1874 ; and a pair are said to nest in the woods of Kelly, on the banks 

 of the Tamar (.J. G., Zool. 1874, p. 4227 ; 1878, p. 433). A pair bred at 

 Lustleigh in 1871 (J. H. G., Zool. 1871, p. 2704). There was also a 

 nest at 8tackhole Bay, near Bolt Head, in May 1881 ; but a keeper shot 

 the male, and destroyed the nest and three young (E. A. 8. E.). The 

 Common Buzzard breeds occasionally on Lundy Island (Trans. Devon. 

 Assoc, viii. p. 300). 



Lord Lilford informs us that he assisted, with the late Rev. Courtenay 

 Bulteel, at the taking of a young bird and an egg of the Common Buzzard 

 from a cliff on the coast near Wembury in 1855. Ho frequently saw 

 single birds, or pairs, near Ilfracombe in 1861, and in the neighbourhood 

 of Dartmouth in 1873, 1876, 1880, 1881, 1882, and 1883. 



Rough-legged Buzzard. ArcMhuteo lagoims (Gmcl.). 



A casual visitor during the winter months, of rare occurrence. 



The Rough-legged Buzzard is only a winter visitor at very uncertain 

 intervals to the .S.W. counties, but a sufficient number of instances have 

 occurred to remove it from the category of our greatest rarities. Indeed, 

 whenever an unusually large migration of this bird visits the north-eastern 

 and eastern coasts of the island, a few out of the number contrive to 

 wander on across the breadth of the kingdom ; and this is found to be the 

 case with respect to other migrants whicli arc usually contlned to the 

 Eastern Counties. When but a few examples are obtained in these last, 

 the West will not be favoured with a single visitant ; but should it be a 

 great season in Norfolk for Rougli-leggrd Ihizzards, Waxwiiigs, (S:c., then 

 tlie eyes of West-Country oriiith()h)i^ists arc gha(hlened by llio siglit of one 

 or two stragglers of tliese seldom-seen rarities. When lie resided at 

 Ilfracnmbc, Mr. \V. iJrodrick received a Roiigh-k'gged Ihizzard which liad 

 been trajiped on the Jiraiinton llunows. This was in ])ei('nil)er 18.")5. 

 He kept tlie bird alive until the foUowin;^ June, when he set it at liberty. 

 Sliuitly afterwards he heaid from a friend in South Wales that a liough- 

 legged Buzzard had been shot in his neighbourhood, which was probably 



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