ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD. 



BUTEO LAGOPUS (J. F. Gmelin). 



Falco lagopus, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. i. p. 260 (1788) j Naum. i. 

 p. 359. 



Buteo lagopus, Macg. iii. p. 193 ; Hewitson, i. p. 39 ; Yarr. 



ed. 4, i. p. 115. 

 Archibuteo lagopus, Dresner, v. p. 471. 



Archibuse pattue, French ; Rauchfuss-Bussard, German. 



This is a species about which I am unable to give any 

 information from personal observation of its habits in a 

 wild state, as I have not seen more than perhaps four or 

 five individuals at various times sweeping over the open 

 country of West Norfolk in late autumn and winter. 



The Rough-legged Buzzard breeds commonly in the 

 north of continental Europe, and is by no means an 

 infrequent autumnal visitor to Great Britain, where it is 

 generally destroyed very soon after its first appearance ; 

 it certainly prefers open to wooded country during its 

 visits, and has a very natural predilection for rabbit- 

 warrens ; otherwise, in general habits, it seems to 

 resemble the Common Buzzard, but it is a larger and 

 much more powerful bird, and may be distinguished 



