Accipitres. BIRDS. Falconidj^a. 245 
is sometimes built on tlie ground, but more commonly 
Darwin, one of these birds actually pounced upon a dog 
in trees or on the ledges of rocks. It is rather large, 
that was lying asleep close to his master. When a 
and consists of sticks, sometimes lined with a few hairs 
hunting party has killed an animal, these caracaras 
and feathers ; in this it lays five or six eggs, which are 
soon collect in the neighbourhood, and stand on the 
pointed at one end, and spotted with red on a reddish- 
ground waiting for their share of the spoil. Sometimes 
brown ground. 
they are said to stand, several in company, at the mouth 
THE CHIMAHGO {Milvago Chimango\, which has 
of a rabbit-hole, in order to seize on the animal as soon 
been already mentioned as accompanying the caracara 
as it comes out. These various methods of obtaining 
in its carrion-feasts, is said by Mr. Darwin to be gen- 
food indicate considerable ingenuity, and the birds 
erally the last bird that leaves the skeleton of a dead 
appear to be of an exceedingly inquisitive disposition, 
animal ; it “ may often,” he adds, “ be seen within the 
which often leads them into mischief. They are also 
ribs of a cow or horse, like a bird in a cage.” Like the 
arrant thieves. When the Adventure was lying in 
caracara, its appetite appears to be satisfied with any- 
harbour at the Falklands during the winter, they would 
thing, as it will even eat bread when this is thrown out 
fly on board every day, and it was necessary to keep a 
1 
of a house with other offal. It also frequents the sea- 
sharp look-out to prevent them from tearing the leather 
coast and the margins of lakes and swamps, in search 
from the rigging, and stealing the fresh meat and game 
of small fish. In its general habits it resembles the 
hung up at the stern. On one occasion they carried a 
caracara. 
heavy black glazed hat nearly a mile ; on another they 
THE CHIMACHIMA (M. Cldmacliima), another species. 
went off with a pair of heavy balls, used in the south- 
is said to attack beasts of burden upon which it per- 
ern parts of America for catching cattle ; and a small 
ceives wounds or sores ; these it tears with its bill, until 
compass in a red morocco case was so tempting a prize 
the unfortunate victim is forced to roll himself upon the 
that they carried it off, and it was never again found. 
ground to get rid of his tormentor. 
They are exceedingly quarrelsome, and when irritated 
THE SOUTHERN CARACARA {Milvago australis), 
fall into such a passion that they tear up the grass with 
appears to be peculiar to the coasts of the southern 
their bills. Their flesh is- said by the sealers who have 
extremity of America and the Falkland Islands, where 
tried it to be very white, and good eating. They build 
it is exceedingly abundant. Its habits are very similar 
their nests on the rocks only in the small islets of the 
to those of the caracara, but it appears to exceed even 
Falkland group, which, as Mr. Darwin remarks, “ is a 
that bird in impudence. It will seize upon birds shot 
singular precaution in so tame and fearless a bird.” 
by the fowler, and on one occasion recorded by Mr. 
BUZZARDS. 
THE COMMON BUZZARD {Buteo vulgaris) is a com- 
which it captures in the way above described, very 
mon British hawk, which is also met with in most parts 
rarely pursuing its feathered prey when on the wing. 
of Europe. It measures about twenty inches in length; 
Mr. M'Gillivray states that he once found the stomach 
the plumage of the upper parts, the neck and breast. 
of a buzzard filled “with leaves of plants and roots. 
are of a dark-brown colour ; the throat and belly are 
along with beetles and an earthworm.” After feeding 
greyish-brown, spotted with dark-brown; the tail pale 
it retires to some secluded spot, and there reposes until 
greyish-brown, with ten or twelve dark brown transverse 
the food is digested, and its returning appetite again 
bars; the beak lead colour; and the cere and legs yellow. 
suggests to it the necessity of exertion. The nest of 
The beak in the Buzzard is short and stout, compressed 
the common buzzard is composed of sticks and twigs, 
on the sides, and has the margins of the upper mandi- 
mixed with heath, and lined with wool and grass. Its 
ble sinuated; the nostrils are large; the wings long, 
position varies according to the nature of the country 
but obtuse ; the tail of moderate length and rounded ; 
inliabited by the birds ; in rocky districts it is built on 
the tarsi rather long and stout, covered with scales in 
the ledges of the rocks, and in the more undulating and 
front, as are also the toes ; the remainder of the foot is 
wooded localities amongst the branches of trees ; but 
reticulated, and the claws are long, strong, and acute. 
the material and construction of the nest are the same 
The common buzzard is generally distributed in the 
in both cases. These birds are said to save themselves 
British islands, and also occurs abundantly in most 
part of the trouble of building by taking possession of 
parts of Europe. In some localities it is called the 
tlie nest of a crow and enlarging it to suit their purposes. 
Kite or Glead, although quite distinct from the bird to 
In these nests the females deposit from three to four 
which these names properly belong; and in other places 
eggs, which are of an almost perfectly oval form, and 
it bears the name of the Buttock. It is rather an inactive 
of a dull, or slightly bluish white colour, sometimes 
bird, but often soars to a great height, and sails in 
nearly spotless, but usually spotted with rusty brown. 
circles like an eagle. When in piu'suit of prey it glides 
Buzzards are said to attend to the wants of their 
over the fields, at no great distance from the ground, 
young for a longer period than most predaceous birds ; 
and pounces down upon any articles of food that come 
and they certainly seem to possess very strong paren- 
within its ken. Its food consists of small birds and the 
tal instincts. In captivity female buzzards have been 
young of the grouse and partridge, the smaller quadru- 
repeatedly known to hatch the eggs, and bring up the 
peds, reptiles, insects, and even earthworms — all of 
yoimg of other birds: and the following curious exanq)lo 
✓ 
i 
