The Buzzard is a British bird, 
though seldom seen. It feeds on 
hares, rabbits, and other small 
quadrupeds. A Buzzard that 
was tamed by Mr. Thompson was 
a very amusing bird. It was fond 
of catching mice in a barn, darting 
at them as they ran over the floor, 
and striking at them through the 
straw. In many instances, the 
bird missed its stroke, but was 
always ready to make a fresh 
attack. It would also catch and 
kill rats, but preferred mice, pro- 
bably because they gave it less 
trouble. It detested strangers, and 
used to fly fiercely at them and 
knock their hats over their ears, or 
fairly off their heads. A rather re- 
markable amusement in which this 
bird indulged, was to jump on its 
master’s feet and untie his shoe- 
strings. It would eat magpies and 
jackdaws, but did not seem to care 
very much for them. On one occa- 
sion a jackdaw had been shot, and 
fell into a mill dam. The Buzzard 
pounced on the dying bird, and 
grasping it in his talons, held it 
beneath the water until it was 
dead. Whether the act was inten- 
BUZZARD. Butco vulgaris. tional or not is not certain, but as 
the bird remained in so awkward 
ft position with its legs wholly sunk in the water until the jackdaw was quite dead, 
the act does not seem to have been without some motive. The same bird was 
very fond of worms and grubs, and used to attend upon the potato-diggers, 
for the purpose of eating the worms and grubs that were thrown up. The 
flight of the Buzzard is rather variable. At times the bird seems inspired with 
the very soul of laziness, and contents itself with pouncing leisurely upon its prey. 
Sometimes, however, it rises high in the air, and displays a great power of wing 
and an easy grace of flight. 
