COMMON BUZZARD. 
203 
tive, or rather it appears to be so; the flight 
is heavy but buoyant, and when hunting it is per- 
formed in low sweeps, during which it surveys 
the ground, and pounces on any thing living 
which may catch attention ; it never attempts to 
secure a prey on the wing by pursuit. The food 
consists of almost every thing, — the smaller mam- 
malia, such as mice or moles, the young of game 
or moorland birds, frogs, toads, &c. It is often 
described as watching from an eminence or 
decayed tree, thence sweeping down on the prey 
when discovered, and for this purpose remaining 
for hours in one situation ; we have never seen it 
so employed, and have always considered its long 
stationary perches as the result of repletion, and 
as a resting place after the exertion of hunting 
and feeding, and we have known the same station 
taken up day after day, and hours spent in a 
motionless dose. When roused from this perch, 
or during the season of incubation, the flight is 
slow and majestic ; the birds rise in easy and 
graceful gyrations, often to an immense height, 
uttering occasionally their shrill and melancholy 
whistle. At this time, to a spectator underneath, 
and in particular lights, they appear of immense 
size ; the motions of the tail when directing the 
circles may be plainly perceived, as well as the 
beautiful markings on it and on the wings, some- 
times rendered very plain and distinct by the 
