BIRDS 265 



Coloration of the Naked Parts in Life. — Iris seal-brown in the 

 adult, ochreous-buff in the young ; cere and base of mandible naples 

 yellow ; upper mandible bluish-brown at the base, blackish at the tip ; 

 feet and legs maize-yellow, claws blackish. 



We have two adult specimens from Albemarle in the dark phase, 

 and one immature specimen in the tawny phase. We observed the 

 species frequently on Narboro, but we did not collect any specimens 

 here. It was seen also on James, Duncan, Indefatigable, Harrington, 

 Hood, Chatham, Abingdon and Bindloe. It is fairly common 

 throughout its range but is most numerous along the coast, showing, 

 however, no preference for any special kind of country. It is equally 

 abundant on barren stretches of lava and on areas of dense vegetation. 

 It is extremely tame and will usually come within a few feet of a col- 

 lector and sometimes closer still if he has any food to offer. The birds 

 feed principally on the common lizard, Tropidurus, which abounds 

 on nearly all the islands near the shore. All the specimens examined 

 contained remains of these lizards. The rarity of this lizard on 

 Charles, where it is now nearly extinct, may explain the absence of 

 Buteo from this island. Similarly, the islands of Tower, Wenman 

 and Culpepper, where the buzzard is lacking are also without repre- 

 sentatives of Tropidurus. Darwin says that the Buteo feeds on the 

 young of the land, tortoise, Testudo^ when just emerging from the 

 shell. If this is the case, it is probable that they likewise eat the young 

 of the green sea turtle,' Ckelone, which breeds abundantly on the 

 sand beaches. 



A nest containing two incubated eggs was found on Bindloe in 

 June. The nest was situated on a ledge of lava projecting from the 

 perpendicular side of a canyon ; it was a very bulky affair made of 

 sticks and twigs and lined with leaves, l^oth of the parents were in 

 the dark phase of plumage, which is probably the adult color. Only 

 one of these eggs was preserved. It is immaculate greenish-white, 

 about the same color as the eggs of Circus hudsonius (Linn.), and 

 measures 58 X 44. 



Another nest was found in January near Tagus Cove, Albemarle, 

 situated on a high pinnacle of lava near the middle of a very rough 

 lava stream. This nest was very large. The height being about three 

 feet and the basal width nearly as great. It had evidently been used 

 for many years. A pair of buzzards in dark plumage remained most 

 of the time in the neighborhood and were presumably the owners. 

 We never got any eggs from this nest, but the breeding season evidently 

 does not begin until June. 



