-when defcending they utter a noife fimilar to the purring of 

 a cat, but much louder, and which may be heard at a confi- 

 derable diftance. 



The Buzzard forms its neft in the fork of a large tree near 

 the top, it is placed in fuch a fituation, that a branch moft 

 generally croffes immediately over it, on which the male 

 ufually perches during the time of incubation ; they have been 

 remarked for the attention they fhew towards their young, 

 they feed them for a confiderable time after they are capable 

 of flying. We learn from Ray " that mould the female be 

 killed during the time of incubation, the male Buzzard takes- 

 charge, and patiently rears the young till they are able to 

 provide for themfelves." The neft is compofcd of flicks, and 

 is lined with wool, hair, and other foft fubftances ; they 

 ufually lay two eggs, fometimes a third is found in the neft,, 

 but generally when that is the cafe, one of them proves 

 addled ; they are white fpotted with ruft colour, the fpots are 

 moft numerous at the large end, and the eggs rather, exceed- 

 in fize thofe of the common hen. 



Their food: confifts of young hares, rabbits, moles, and: 

 moft of the fmaller fpecies of quadrupeds, alfo of fuch feathered 

 game as from inability are unable to elude their purfuit by 

 flight ; fo cowardly is the difpofition of the male bird, that it 

 has frequently been known to refign its prey to the keftrel or 

 fparrow-hawk, which very frequently attack it for the purpofe 

 of procuring a meal ; on the failure of other, food, they eat 

 carrion, reptiles, and the larger fpecies of coleopterous infects.. 



Our figure was coloured and description taken from a fine 

 fpecimen communicated by Arthur Harrison, Efq, 



