6 BRITISH BIRDS’ EGGS. 
COMMON BUZZARD. 
Buteo vuuearis, Leach. 
Pl. IL., fig. 3. 
Geogr. distr.—Europe generally, not extending far into Asia ; rarely 
visiting Africa; in Great Britain it breeds in the western and northern 
counties of England and in Scotland, but it is not common. 
Food.—Insects, reptiles, small birds, including young poultry and 
game, small mammals (as moles, field mice, rabbits, and leverets). 
Nest.—Of large sticks lined with wool, fur and other soft materials ; 
or an old Crow’s nest lined with feathers, grass, &c. 
Position of nest.—In the forked branches of lofty trees, such as 
beech or oak-trees; on rocks or the edges of steep banks bounding a 
stream or torrent. 
Number of eggs.—3-4. 
Time of nidification.—II1I-V ; end of March to beginning of May. 
In England this species appears to be confined to the 
larger woods during the breeding season ; it is a dull sleepy 
kind of bird, flying as a rule slowly and only for short 
distances, though sometimes it ascends spirally to a con- 
siderable height; as, however, it does not pursue its prey 
upon the wing it is more destructive to young game and 
poultry than to full-fledged birds, which it only preys upon 
when they are wounded and therefore helpless. 
A singular instance is recorded by Mr. Cecil Smith (Zool. 
1878, pp. 339-40) of the building of a nest by this bird 
apparently as a ruse to mislead those in search of its eggs: 
according to his account a nest had been built on the 
previous year from which the eggs had been taken; the 
same birds had built a second nest close by, and though 
they deposited no eggs therein they did their utmost to 
prevent its being examined: in the meanwhile, however, 
they were quietly incubating a clutch deposited in the old 
nest. Such a proceeding points to something rather higher 
than blind instinct, unless indeed the eggs were laid in the 
wrong nest owing to deficient memory on the part of the 
parents: I have on several occasions known Blackbirds to 
visit an old nest after building and furnishing a new one, 
and the behaviour of the Buzzards, though differing some- 
what, may have been due to a like cause. 
