FALCO BUTEO, 



COMMON BUZZARD. 



Generic Character. See Falco Chryfeatos. 

 Synonyms. 



Falco Buteo. Lin. Syft. 1. p. 127. 



Buzzard. Br. Zool. 1. 54. 25. i£. fol tab. A. 



jig. 3. Lath. Syn. 1. 48. Ib.fupt. p. 14. 



Mo»/. Or/z. D/#. Bewick's Br. Birds, PL 



i- # 57- 



TTh I S bird is about twenty-two inches in length, and in 

 breadth fomewhat exceeding four feet. The prefent fpecies 

 varies much in fize, weighing from two pounds and a half to 

 three and a half. Bill flrong and much curved, with fre- 

 quently a notch in the upper mandible near the point ; eyes 

 funk, and much duller than in any other fpecies ; wings 

 when clofed, extend rather beyond the tail ; legs flrong 

 and very coarfe ; feathers on the thighs long and loofe, and 

 of a coarfer texture than on other parts of the bird: Colours 

 in both fpecies, are very fubjecl to vary ; the female is rather 

 larger, and is a much bolder bird than the male. 



Of all the hawk tribe, this is the mofl indolent and inac- 

 tive, and is feldom feen on wing, except when prefTed by 

 hunger or in the breeding feafon ; at which time they are fre- 

 quently feen foaring to a prodigious height; at which time 

 they afcend and defcend in a feries of continued circles ; and 



when 



