128 THE HUMAN SIDE OF BIRDS 



Thomas Gentry gives in the following a most in- 

 teresting account of buzzard manners. He had 

 set out the carcass of a young ground-hog as bait, 

 and after four days was rewarded by the appear- 

 ance of five buzzards. As if in obedience to orders, 

 the three young of the family leaped on to a huge 

 pine log that lay nearby and then "with a few quick 

 steps, that were meant to be graceful, the female 

 drew near, but the male lingered doubtingly be- 

 hind. Soon she was busy at work, tearing with 

 claw and with bill the daintiest morsels. Rendered 

 mad by the smell of the food, the male, no longer 

 seeming backward, pressed forward to her side, but 

 only to retreat before her savage assaults. Again 

 he essayed the attempt, and was beaten back as he 

 had been before. Convinced that further effort 

 would be useless, he strode sulkily to a distance, 

 where, in moody contemplation, he nervously 

 awaited her ladyship's sweet pleasure. 



"Being filled to the full, the female now moved 

 lazily away to a clean patch of grass, where she im- 

 mediately set to work arranging her toilette — ^wip- 

 ing her bill and her claws upon the green carpet be- 

 fore her, craning her neck and stretching her pin- 

 ions, yawning and gaping and gaping and yawning 

 — and finally ending all by seeking the topmost rail 

 of a nearby fence for rest and composure. 



