FALCON, 59 



foundation ; but Col. Montagu observes, the outer toe in both feet turns 

 easily backwards, and the claw belonging to it is larger than that of 

 the inner toe. 



This is an European species, and though met with in England, 

 is not very' common — known to some by the name of Fishing Hawk 

 or Eagle, and Bald Buzzard. It mostly frequents lakes, and large 

 pieces of fresh water, for the sake of the fish, on which it feeds ; 

 plunging into the water after them with rapidity, on their approach- 

 ing the surface, and rarely fails to bring up its prey in the talons. It 

 will also attack ducks — is said to make its nest on the ground,"^ 

 sheltered among the reeds and rushes, and to lav three or four white 

 eggs, elliptical, smaller than those of an hen. I cannot learn that it 

 breeds in the south of England ; some have said that it does so in 

 Northumberland, but Dr. Heysham, who resides at Carlisle, has 

 never heard of its being in that part of the country. We are however 

 certain, that it breeds both in Scotland and Ireland. I have known 

 it shot near Dartford, in Kent, and Dr. Lamb informs me of one being 

 killed near Newbury, in Berkshire. Whether it was ever tamed, so 

 as to be used for taking fish, is not directly said, but some species of 

 hawk certainly was trained for that purpose— as we find an act in the 



marks of the wings exactly correspond on each side. Indeed, a singular circumstance occurs 

 in one of the Cock Roach genus,* which is, we believe, the only one known. In this species 

 one of the wing cases is marked with four white spots, and the other with three only, and which 

 is constant in every specimen yet observed. 



As to Lusus Naturse, they are far from uncommon; such as a duck without webs to 

 the toes : a common snail with the spiral turns of the shell reversed, one of which was found 

 in my garden at Dartford, in Kent, several years since ; also a flounder having the eyes and 

 lateral line on the left instead of the right side.f These, and many others which niicfht be 

 mentioned, must be reckoned as singularities, happening noAv and then, but by no means to 

 be esteemed as permanent distinctions of species. 



* Blatta heteroclita, Pall. Spic. No.9. t.l.f.3. Petiv. !Uus.pl.7l. /. \. 



t Br. Zool. iii. 229. Id. Ed. 1812, ili. p. 306. 



* Colonel Montagu saw the nest of one on the top of a chimney of a ruin, in an island on 

 Loch Lomond. — Orn, Diet. 



12 



