626 EAPTOEES, OR BIRDS OF PEET. 



prey better armed tHan itself. This lias been sufficient to give 

 it the character of cowardice. 



Kites are easily tamed, and if taken young they will soon 

 become familiar. 



Buzzards {Buteo) have long wings, a large head, and a rather 

 squat figure ; the tarsi are short, or of medium size ; and the 

 beak curved from the base ; in fact, their appearance is heavj' 

 and ungraceful. They do not chase their prey when it is on the 

 wing, but secrete themselves on a tree or other elevation, where 

 they wait until a victim passes within reach. When thus occu- 

 pied, they will remain for several hours in the most complete 

 immobility, presenting an air of drowsiness which has become 

 proverbial. This stiipid look is owing to their nonchalant and 

 apathetic attitude, and also to the weakness of their eyes, which 

 are affected by the glare of strong light. 



They generally build their nests on the loftiest trees, occa- 

 sionally in thickets of brushwood growing among rocks. When 

 frost occurs they approach settlements and make forays upon 

 poultry. If pressed by hunger, thej^ become excessively bold. 

 Their general food consists of small birds, rodents, serpents, in- 

 sects, and sometimes corn. They are easily tamed. M. Degland 

 mentions one which lived in perfect harmony with a sporting 

 dog, and even went so far as to share its food. Bufibn also 

 speaks of another which was so attached to its master that it 

 could not be happj^ unless in his company ; it was present 

 at all his meals, when it would caress him with its head 

 and bill ; and, although this bird always enjoyed the most com- 

 plete liberty, every evening it returned to roost on the window- 

 sill. One day when its master was riding on horseback, it 

 followed him for more than two leagues, hovering- over him in 

 the air. 



Mr. Yarrell relates of these birds, which are much attached 

 to their progeny, that in the town of Uxbridge a Buzzard kept 

 in a domestic state having manifested a desire for building, 

 the means were furnished, and two lien's eggs placed under 

 her. The young chickens were hatched and reared as if they 

 had been her own. On another occasion, in order to save 

 the trouble of sitting, some chickens just hatching were placed 



