9 



are only exceptional, and it is not a bird that should be persecuted by a game-preserver on account 

 of any mischief it may do amongst the game. As above stated it is especially fond of plundering 

 the nests of wasps and wild bees, and will dig the comb out and devour the larvae with voracity. 

 That honey is also found in its stomach is certain : whether it eats the honey from choice or 

 only with the larvae I cannot say ; but one which I obtained was so full of honey that before I 

 skinned it I hung it up, head downwards, to let the honey drain off so as to avoid soiling the 

 skin, and on dissection I found a lot of comb, but only a few larva?, in the stomach. It 

 will frequently walk about amongst the grass in search of insects and worms, which latter 

 it frequently eats ; Collett remarks that one was shot on a carcass, and, on dissection, it 

 proved to have been eating maggots so greedily that its stomach was distended as much as 

 possible. During the autumn it is said to eat berries ; and Naumann states that he has found, 

 in the spring of the year, the stomachs of Honey-Buzzards filled solely with buds and vegetable 

 remains. 



In its flight it somewhat resembles the Buzzard, but is more slightly built, has a longer tail, 

 and may usually be easily distinguished by these differences, and by the markings of the under- 

 parts. It is shy, and not easy to approach within range, except when incubating, when it will 

 sometimes sit so close as not to leave the nest until the climber has mounted into the tree, or 

 even nearly reached the bough on which the nest is placed. It appears fond of sitting for hours 

 together in the same place, on a tree or a large stone, patiently waiting for its prey, too lazy, 

 probably, to hunt for it ; but even then it is very difficult to stalk and shoot one. I have not 

 often met with it when collecting, but have found its nest in Germany and Sweden, and have 

 then had an opportunity of watching the birds for some time. As a rule it appears to be a 

 silent bird ; and I have only heard it utter a shrill cry resembling the syllables Jcee, kee, kee, 

 uttered very quickly and continuously whilst the bird was circling overhead. It arrives from the 

 south later than any other of the birds of prey, and commences nidification when the young of 

 the Hawks and Buzzards are hatched — that is, late in May or in June ; and sometimes the eggs 

 are not deposited until late in June. It either builds a fresh nest for itself or else makes use of 

 a deserted Buzzard's or Kite's nest, which it repairs and, before the eggs are deposited, lines and 

 garnishes with fresh green leaves, which are regularly replaced as they fade. I have seen a nest 

 so garnished with fresh beech twigs as to make it appear as if the bird intended to make an 

 arbour to shade its nest; and judging from the freshness of these, they must have been changed 

 daily. So soon as the nest is garnished with these green leaves one may look out for the eggs ; 

 but I have known the nest to be well furnished with leaves and foliage and have started 

 the female from the nest, and no egg has been deposited for at least a week subsequently. 

 Passler and Badeker say that, as a rule, the present species prefers the groves on the plains for 

 the purpose of nidification ; but I have not found this to be the case, as all the nests I have 

 seen were in non-evergreen trees in the hills. Mr. Sachse also informs me that it breeds near 

 Altenkirchen in the hills ; and Mr. Schutt pointed out to me a place in the mountain behind 

 Staufen, in Baden, where the Honey-Buzzard has bred, and which must be fully a thousand feet 

 above the level of the sea. 



Several field-naturalists have called my attention to the fact that the present species will 

 breed in the same locality for several years in succession, and will then suddenly, and without 



