COMMON BUZZARD. 
3 
scarcely ever remember a journey so long and uninteresting. Thick drifting mist obscured the view on all 
sides; and after leaving the low ground not a glimpse of the surrounding country was obtained beyond the 
distance of a few hundred yards on either side, until we descended from the high moors into a grassy valley 
shut in by steep and broken cliffs. The heavy rain now cleared, and was succeeded by occasional showers, 
while the clouds rolled further up the hills. Being uncertain about the exact spot where the nest was situated, 
we kept, close below the rocks, on towards the northern extremity of the glen, in which part the shepherd who 
had brought the information had noticed the birds. At length, during a heavy squall of sleet and rain, a 
Buzzard was noticed to leave the cliffs ; but, although we closely examined the whole face of the rocks both 
from above and below, we could detect no signs of a nest. In order to give the bird a chance to return, we 
retired to the cover of a broken bank in a gully, at a distance of three or four hundred yards from the spot we 
required to watch. Scarcely five minutes had passed when the pair of birds were seen Hying in circles at some 
height in the air; then, gradually extending their flight towards the north, they were lost to sight in the 
mist. A few moments later, one suddenly returned, and, sweeping close under the cliffs, at once disappeared 
onto one of the ledges we had previously examined. Leaving one of the keepers in the valley to mark the 
exact spot when the bird came out, we took a circuitous course, and again made our way to the top of the 
rocks. On reaching the summit, and crawling cautiously to the edge of the cliffs, the bird left the ledge, 
which was within the distance of a few feet, so rapidly that it was impossible, owing to my cramped position, 
to obtain a shot. I was able to detect the situation of the nest ; and, the ropes being produced, there was but 
little difficulty in reaching the ledge. Though the distance was so slight, the rock proved to be dangerous for 
roping-work. If it had been necessary to descend far, the risk would have been considerable, as numbers 
of loose stones were detached. The nest was placed on a small grassy ledge, partly sheltered, and almost 
obscured from view by a projecting slab of rock. It was not a particularly neat structure, being roughly put 
together, and consisting of heather stalks and roots, with a few pieces of that coarse-growing rush so 
commonly seen in nests of Eagles, and lined with fine twigs entwined with strands of grass. As I had 
previously obtained specimens of adult birds, the nest and eggs were the main objects of my visit ; and, owing 
to the crumbling nature of the rock, I was afraid lest a second descent might prove destructive to them. We 
consequently removed the nest and eggs, which were securely lifted to the top of the cliffs; and then, in order 
to decoy the old birds, I constructed a fresh nest from dead heather, and also two imitation eggs made up of 
balls of heather tied tightly in pieces of rag cut from my dirty pocket-handkerchief. About a foot and a half 
of turf with fine short grass separated the nest from the edge of the precipice ; and here we placed a trap, 
concealed with the greatest care. I imagined that one of the old birds might possibly settle on the ledge and 
be taken, but never calculated that they would be sufficiently imposed upon to venture on the nest. When 
completed, the whole affair had a most natural appearance. Looking down from above, it was impossible to 
detect the changes that had been effected. On our way back wc discovered a projecting rock at a slightly 
higher elevation, from which a far better view could be obtained of the ledge where the nest was situated. From 
this point I was satisfied the birds could have been easily killed at the time of our first visit, if wc had been 
acquainted with the exact position of the eyrie. Tired and hungry, and but little inclined to wait for the 
chance of a shot till after a rest, I turned downhill to where wc had left the man to keep watch. He reported 
that during the time we had been employed about the rock lie had been unable to make out cither of the 
birds. A short distance further up the glen the mist was still thick; so it was quite possible that they mi-lit 
have been within a quarter of a mile without having been discerned. Lunch was now brought out • but a 
commencement had scarcely been made, when one of the Buzzards was noticed to skim rapidly under the 
shadow of the cliffs, and at once disappear onto the ledge. Two or three glasses were turned to the spot by 
the time the nest was reached ; but the bird apparently avoided the trap, and alighted at once on the e—s as 
not the slightest disturbance was noticed. After waiting about half an hour longer, as the bird gave no si-ns 
