The Buzzard. 
191 
Yurrcll tells of a female Buzzard, kept neai' fjondon, who 
every year built a nest. She hatched out some fowl's eggs 
which had been placed in her nest, and tried to bring up the 
chicks on bits of meat, getting terril)ly anxious and concerned 
when they disregarded her proffered delicacy. Another time 
when chicks were given her instead of eggs, she promptly 
killed them I 
A lovable trait in my " Buzzy's " character is the 
keen interest she evinces in young birds of other species. 
Each spring I rear Jackdaws and Magpies by hand in an 
aviarj- adjoining hers. " Buzzy " keeps a close watch on the 
youngsters, sitting as close to them as the intervening wire 
netting allows. She howls in sympathy when they cry for 
food, and this prolonged wail of hers continues until I appear 
with the food for the feathered babies, over whom her maternal 
instinct watches and guards. 
Buzzards get very jealous during the breeding season, 
resenting the intrusion of any other bird and guarding the 
territory adjacent to their nest tenaciously. 
After studying the habits of Buzzards for many years, 
I have proved to my entire satisfaction that they are great 
and natural enemies of rats and mice, and almost, or quite 
harmless to bird life. 
To any real lover of nature this fine and beautiful 
