HONE Y-B UZZARD. 
167 
nearly at the top of the very tallest beeches in the wood, 
at least seventy or eighty feet from the ground. As so 
little appears to be known about its breeding habits, I may 
as well add a few words. 
It seldom arrives till the beginning of June, when the 
leaves are thick on the trees, and immediately commences 
its nest, for which purpose it seems only to come, as 
it immediately departs when the young birds can fly. 
Pairs have been known, however, not to lay till the end of 
July ; and, I am assured by one of the Forest keepers, not 
sometimes till the beginning of August ; but these are, 
doubtless, cases where the birds have been robbed of their 
first eggs. It differs from the common buzzard in not 
flying away when disturbed during incubation, but merely 
skimming round the top of the tree in small circles, uttering 
its short, shrill cry, sometimes both male and female 
perching on the branch of a neighbouring tree, and re- 
maining undisturbed by shouts and cries, whilst the nest is 
being reached. At these times a kind of stupidity seizes 
the bird. It has, to my knowledge, on several occasions, 
remained in the nest till a boy has touched its feathers, and 
returned as soon as he left. 
As a further illustration, I may add, that in one of the 
nests before mentioned, in Mark Ash (June 7th, 1862), was 
only one egg, which was taken. The birds, however, did 
not forsake, and another, which was also taken, was laid on 
the third day. 
Even then the birds did not desert, but after the 
interval of two more days laid a third egg, about one-half 
smaller than usual, and in shape somewhat resembling 
a peregrine's." (See under Farren.) 
"On another occasion, June nth, 1859, a pair bred in 
a high beech in Coalmeer Wood, ner.r Stoney Cross, and 
