274 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



[Buzzards. 



length; beak horn-colour; cere and irides yellow ; 

 feathers of the head and neck greyish white, streaked 

 along the shaft with ash-brown ; feathers of the 

 back and wing-coverts dark brown in the centre, 

 broadly edged With rufous; inner web of some of 

 the tertials edged with white ; primaries nearly 

 black ; upper tail-coverts rufous : tail-feathers red- 

 dish brown, the inner webs barred with dark brown ; 

 chin and throat greyish white, streaked with dusky; 

 breast, belly, and thighs rufous brown, each feather 

 with a central longitudinal streak of dark brown ; 

 under tail-coverts plain rufous white ; tarsi and toes 

 yellow ; claws black. The females are larger than 

 the males. 



1258. — The Swallow-tailed Hawk 

 (Nauclerus furcatus). The extreme length of the 

 wings and tail, and the strongly forked outline of 

 the latter, characterize the genus Nauclerus. 



This beautiful kite, remarkable for its grace and 

 ease on the wing, is a native of North America ; 

 and is described very graphically both by Wil- 

 son and Audubon. According to the latter, only 

 " a solitary individual of this species has once or 

 twice been seen in Pennsylvania. Farther to the 

 eastward the Swallow-tailed Hawk has never, I be- 

 lieve, been observed. Travelling southward along 

 the Atlantic coast, we find it in Virginia, although 

 in very small numbers. Beyond that state it be- 

 comes more abundant. Near the falls of the Ohio 

 a pair had a nest and reared four young ones in 

 1820. In the lower parts of Kentucky it~begins to 

 become more numerous ; but in the states farther 

 to the south, and particularly in parts near the sea, 

 it is abundant. In the large prairies of the Atta- 

 capas and Oppellousas it is extremely common. 

 In the states of Louisiana and Mississippi, where 

 these birds are abundant, they arrive in large com- 

 panies in the beginning of April, and are heard 

 uttering a sharp plaintive note. At this period I 

 generally remarked that they came from the west- 

 ward, and have counted upwards of an hundred in 

 the space of an hour, passing over me in a direct 

 easterly course. At that season and in the begin- 

 ning of September, when they all retire from the 

 United States, they are easily approached when 

 they have alighted," being then apparently fatigued, 

 and busily engaged in preparing themselves for 

 continuing their journey, by dressing and oiling 

 their leathers. At all other times, however, it is 

 extremely difficult to get near them, as they are 

 generally on wing through the day, and at night 

 rest on the higher pines and cypresses bordering 

 the river bluff's, the lakes, or the swamps of that 

 district of country. They always feed on the wing. 

 In calm and warm weather they soar to an immense 

 height, pursuing the large insects called Musquito 

 Hawks, and performing the most singular evolutions 

 that can be conceived, using their tail with an 

 elegance of motion peculiar to themselves. Their 

 principal food, however, is large grasshoppers, grass- 

 caterpillars, small snakes, lizards, and frogs. They 

 sweep close over the fields, sometimes seeming to 

 alight for a moment to secure a snake, and, holding 

 it fast by the neck, carry it off, and devour it in the 

 air. When searching for grasshoppers and cater- 

 pillars it is not difficult to approach them under 

 cover of a fence or tree. When one is then killed 

 and falls to the ground, the whole flock come over 

 the dead bird, as if intent upon carrying it off. An 

 excellent opportunity is thus afforded of shooting 

 as many as may be wanted, and I have killed seve- 

 ral of these hawks in this manner, firing as fast as 

 I could load my gun. The swallow-tailed hawk 

 pairs immediately after its arrival in the southern 

 states ; and as its courtships take place on the wing, 

 its motions are then more beautiful than ever. The 

 nest is usually placed on the top branches of the 

 tallest oak or pine tree situated on the margin of a 

 stream or pond. It resembles that of a carrion 

 crow externally, being formed of dry sticks, inter- 

 mixed with Spanish moss, and is lined with coarse 

 grasses and a few feathers. The eggs are from four 

 to six, of a greenish white colour, with a few irre- 

 gular blotches of dark brown at the larger end. 

 The male and female sit alternately, the one feeding 

 the other. The young are at first covered with 

 buff-coloured down. Their next covering exhibits 

 the pure white and black of the old birds, but with- 

 out any of the glossy purplish tints of the latter. 

 The tail, which at first is but slightly forked, be- 

 comes more so in a few weeks, and at the approach 

 of autumn exhibits little difference from that of the 

 adult birds. The plumage is completed the first 

 spring. Only one brood is raised in the season. 

 The species leaves the United States in the begin- 

 ning of September, moving off in flocks, which 

 are formed immediately after the breeding season 

 is over." 



This species, according to Mr. Nuttall, will, like 

 the Honey-Buzzard, prey upon locusts and wasps, 

 and their larvas, and make a regular attack on their 

 nests. M. Vieillot states that it visits Peru and 



Buenos Ayres. Mr. Yarrell gives it a place among 

 the British birds on the authority of two specimens, 

 one killed at Balachoalist in Argyleshire in 1772, 

 and another taken alive in Shaw-gill, near Hawes 

 in Wensleydale, Yorkshire, in 1805. Apparently 

 to avoid the violence of a tremendous thunder- 

 storm, and the clamorous persecution of a flock of 

 rooks which attacked it at the same instant, it took 

 shelter in a thicket, where it was seized before it 

 could extricate itself, on the 6th September. The 

 person who caught it kept itamonlh; but a door 

 being accidentally left open, it made its escape. It 

 first alighted on a tree, at no great, distance, from 

 which it soon ascended in a spiral flight to a great 

 elevation, and then went steadily off in a southerly 

 direction as far as the eye could trace it. (Linn. 

 Trans., vol. xiv.) 



Bill bluish black ; cere light blue ; iris black ; 

 tarsi light greenish blue ; claws flesh-coloured. The 

 general plumage above is glossy black, with blue 

 and purple reflexions ; the head, the neck, and all 

 the under parts are white tinged with bluish grey. 

 Length two feet ; the female is similar to the male. 



1259. — The Black-winged Swallow-Hawk 

 {Elanus melanopterus) . In this genus the tail is 

 only slightly forked, and the tarsi are not only short, 

 but semi-plumed. 



The Black-winged Swallow-Hawk is Le Blac of 

 Vaillant. It is common throughout the whole of 

 Africa, from Egypt and Barbary to the Cape. It is 

 found in Syria, and in some parts of India along 

 the Ganges, and in the mountain chain of upper 

 Hindostan. It is said to live principally upon 

 insects, which it catches with great address while 

 on the wing. Its size is that of the sparrow-hawk ; 

 the plumage is silky ; general colour above ash- 

 grey ; the shoulders black ; under parts and greater 

 part of tail white ; bill black ; tarsi yellow. 



1260. — The Lead-coloured Ictinia 



(Ictinia plumbed). Head and Foot. There is some 

 doubt as to the position of this genus ; Vieillot, who 

 founded it, regarded it as approaching the kites. 

 Mr. Vigors referred it to the buzzards or harriers. 

 An allied species (Falco Mississippiensis, Wilson) is 

 regarded by its describer as a kite. 



The Lead-coloured Ictinia is a native of America ; 

 its powers of wing are very great and it flies to an 

 astonishing elevation, often remaining for a long 

 time poised or stationary. It feeds much on the 

 larger kinds of insects, and sweeps along rapidly in 

 the chase. To these it adds reptiles and small 

 quadrupeds. The back and wings are of a slate 

 blue : the head and under parts whitish spotted 

 with brown; iris fine red. 



Wilson, speaking of its relative, the Mississippi 

 Kite, staies that it feeds on insects, and sails in the 

 air with the turkey-vulture,— one looking out for 

 carrion, the other for insects. " For several miles," 

 he adds, " as 1 passed near Bayo Manchak, the 

 trees were swarming with a kind of cicada, or lo- 

 cust, and here I observed numbers of this hawk 

 sweeping about among the trees, like swallows, evi- 

 dently in pursuit of these locusts ; yet when we 

 contemplate the beak and talons of this bird, both 

 so sharp and powerful, it is difficult to believe that 

 they were not intended by nature for some more 

 formidable prey than beetles, locusls, and grass- 

 hoppers ; and I doubt not but mice, lizards, snakes, 

 and small birds furnish him with an occasional 

 repast." "The long pointed wings and forked tail 

 point out the affinity of this bird to that family 

 or subdivision of the Falco genus distinguished by 

 the name of Kites, which sail without flapping the 

 wings, and eat from their talons as they glide 

 along." 



BUZZARDS. 

 In the Buzzards the beak is comparatively small ; 

 the tarsi generally short, sometimes feathered to 

 the toes; the wings ample and rounded; the tail 

 square; the body stout and robust. The flight is 

 easy and undulating; they have neither the soar 

 and swoop of the falcons, the arrow-like dash of the 

 hawks, nor the circling sweep on motionless wings 

 of the kite. They sail, however, easily and rapidly 

 along, and hunt in quest of moles, rats, mice, young 

 rabbits, reptiles, and insects. 



1261, 1262.— The Buzzard 

 (Buteo vulgaris). This species is common m all 

 the wooded countries of Europe and the adjacent 

 parts of Asia. It is not rare in England, but more 

 so in Scotland. In Ireland it is abundant. It 

 occurs in the fur countries of North America. This 

 bird is termed La Buse by the French ; Falco Bot- 

 taone and Pagana by the Italians ; Mause Falk and 

 Wald Geyer by the Germans; and Bod teircaill by 

 the ancient British. It is the Quidfogel of the 

 ' Fauna Suecica.' 



The buzzard has little of* the daring impetuosity 

 of the nobler birds of prey, though its strength and 

 size are considerable. It is inactive in disposition, 



and is generally seen perched on the branch of a 

 tree ; whence, on perceiving its prey, it takes wing, 

 gliding rapidly and silently on its victim. We have 

 trequently observed it sailing with easy undulations 

 over fallow-lands bordering woods, evidently in 

 quest, of food. Rabbits, hares, rats, reptiles, and 

 small birds are its prey. Mr. Thompson found tins 

 species sailing about the basaltic precipices in the 

 county of Londonderry, and obtained a pair of 

 young from a nest previously occupied by ravens, 

 on a ledge midway down a precipice, at Rosheen 

 mountain, near Dunfanaghy. It breeds also on the 

 range of inland rocks called Salagh Braes, and on 

 another similar locality in Antrim ; and also on the 

 promontory of Fairhead in the same county. It 

 builds on rocks also in Scotland. Generally speak- 

 ing, however, the buzzard builds in tall trees, se- 

 lecting the most retired part of the wood ; often it 

 appropriates the deserted nest of a crow. The eggs 

 are three in number, larger than those of a hen, and 

 of a greenish white slightly spotted with pale brown. 

 It defends its young with great resolution, and as its 

 strength is considerable, its homestead is not to be 

 assailed with impunity. The young are very voci- 

 ferous. The colour of the buzzard is subject to 

 considerable variety, few individuals exactly coin- 

 ciding in their markings. The upper parts are 

 usually of a deep brown ; the inferior, of a yellowish 

 white, with brown or reddish stains and dashes ; the 

 tail is barred ; the bill is lead-colour ; the cere, 

 tarsi, and iris yellow. Male twenty inches in length ; 

 female twenty-two. 



Dr. Richardson (' Fauna Boreali-Americana ') 

 states that the common buzzard arrives in the fur 

 countries in the middle of April, very soon after- 

 wards begins to build its nest, and having reared 

 its young departs about the end of September. It 

 haunts the low alluvial points of land which stretch 

 out under the high banks of a river, and may be 

 observed lor a long time motionless on the bough 

 of a tree watching for some small quadruped, bird, 

 or reptile to pass within its reach. As soon as it 

 espies its prey, it glides silently into the air, and, 

 sweeping easily but rapidly down, seizes it in its 

 claws. When disturbed it makes a short circuit, 

 and soon settles on another perch. One of Dr. 

 Richardson's specimens had two middle-sized toads 

 in its crop. It builds its nest on a tree, of short 

 sticks, lining it with deer's hair. The eggs are, he 

 says, from three to five in number, and he remarks 

 that it was seen by the expedition as far north as 

 the fifty-seventh parallel, and that it most probably 

 has a still higher range. He gives a description of 

 two : one, a male, shot on the 17th of June, at the 

 nest, which contained three eggs, on the plains of 

 the Saskatchewan ; and another a female, killed at 

 the nest also, near Carlton, May 22. 



1263.— The Honey-Buzzard 



(Pemis apivorus). Head and Foot. La Bondree 

 and Buse Bondree of the French ; Wespen-Busard 

 of the Germans ; Frosch-geyerl of Kramer ; Slag- 

 hok of the ' Fauna Suecica;' Muse-Haeg and Muse- 

 Badge of Brunnich ; and Bod y mel of the ancient 

 BfitSh. 



Mr. Vigors observes that Pernis is distinguished 

 b) r the singular character of the lorurn that sur- 

 rounds Av- -.'ye being covered with feathers, instead 

 ot being nuked, as in the other Falconidae, or fur- 

 nished only with hairs. In other respects, also, he 

 states 1i.t gen is differs from that of Buteo; the 

 tarsi are reticulated anteriorly, and the third quill- 

 feather the longest. 



The Ifonej Buzzard is very rare in England, but 

 more common u the warmer countries of Europe, 

 where it l. ". It is found in Asia, and 



specimens have bean received from various parts of 

 India. We L'i .■ :>.e instance only of its having 

 been killed in lit land is on record. The bird in 

 question was shol bj R. r i. Bomford, Esq., in his 

 demesne of Annandi 1 flear Belfast. Mr. Thomp- 

 son states that thi I 'orehead were covered 

 with cow-dung, froi <t ei rch the bird had evi- 

 dently been making fo* h)«etfts The stomach con- 

 tained some of the lame and fragments of coleop- 

 t era and various cat erpilJava. Li, is in fact chiefly 

 upon caterpillars and the larvse of bees and wasps 

 that the honey-buzzard feads, frog?etiier with other 

 insects, not however to tat. exclusion of moles, 

 mice, rats, small birds, reptilos, and slugs. 



According to Vieillot the honey-bu.szard flies low, 

 but runs on the ground with great celerity. It 

 breeds in tall trees, making a nt with an 



inner layer of wool; the eggs ar< 'nee in 



number, of an ashy grey, dotted at. each bod with 

 small red spots, and surrounded in tl 

 a broad blood-red zone, or mottled all ov< - with 

 two shades of orange-brown. 



The honey-buzzard is a bird of pa.-- a g 

 grating from Europe on the approach of ... 

 is about the size of the common buzzard, bi 

 slender: the top of the head is bluish ash 

 the upper surface generally deep brown 



