248 



THE Naturalist. 



clouds, and as some persons assert, gaze on the unveiled splendour of tlie sun, 

 or with " telescopic eye" look down on the creatures that crawl over the 

 earth's surface." And he further remarks, — "The rough legged buzzard 

 seems to me to have a more warlike appearance than his brother the common 

 buzzard, and I have my suspicions that justice has not been done to him in 

 respect to his courage and rapacity." All of this may be true enough, yet, 

 it does not alter the nature of the bird in relation to others of a similar species 

 nor does it add one iota in its favour. All will admit that the sloth enjoys 

 life, and is as fat and comfortable as the great representatives of the feline 

 order, but few will say they are as active, or embued with an equal courage, 

 I fear me much that because he wears the "semblance of a brave," he is too 

 often ranked as one. 



In America the bird partakes of a more uniform brown tint, yet ever 

 retains the distinctive marks on the lov»^er surface of the wings. Wilson and 

 others have described it as a distinct species, but Audubon has clearly dis- 

 proved this, and it is now an indisputable fact that the American bird is 

 identical with that found in Europe. It is widely and generally dispersed 

 throughout North America, being found in the United States, the Canadas, 

 and other British possessions, -the fur countries and on the confines of 

 Labrador. I have observed it in 'New Brunswick, N^ova Scotia, 'New Jersey, 

 and along the shores of Lakes Erie, Ontario, and St. Clair. It is more cre- 

 puscular in its habits than any other of the same family ; its adaptability for 

 which is little inferior to the owls. Sometimes, though rarely perhaps, it 

 will remain on its perch, usually a dead or scattered branch of some conspi- 

 cuous monarch of the forest and not stir abroad till twilight. In hawking, 

 it adopts a short and slow flight, ever and anon alighting on some object a 

 few feet from the ground, on which vantage ground it will rest till some 

 luckless victim comes within his easy reach, which he will devour, then hie 

 off to some other perch, repeating the same thing till he not unfrequently 

 gorges himself to such a degree that it is an easy matter to secure him with 

 the stroke of a stick. In the evening if he be not previously fed, he is wont 

 to take longer peregrinations and may be seen skimming with slow and noise- 

 less wing over the low grounds, skirting a Avood, or above the level salt marsh, 

 now and again pouncing, (not with the sudden sweep of the peregrine, 

 nevertheless with a force usually effective, against young, or heavy and slow 

 flying birds,) on a half grown wild duck, or some other aquatic fowl — or 

 perchance he will seize a bull-frog by the head as he sits half immersed in 

 water, sending forth his monotonous and discordant croak. Occasionally he 



