246 
Buzzards.- 
-BIRDS.- 
-Tue Honey Buzzard. 
of this, related by Mr. Yarrell in his “History of British 
birds” will probably be entertaining to our readers : — 
He tells us that “ a female buzzard, kept in the garden 
of the Chcrpiers inn at Uxbridge, showed an inclina- 
tion to sit, by collecting and bending all the loose sticks 
she could obtain possession of. Her owner, noticing 
her actions, supplied her with materials; she completed 
her nest, and sat on two hen’s eggs, which she hatched, 
and afterwards reared the young. Since then she has 
hatched and brought up a brood of chickens every year. 
One summer, in order to save her the fatigue of sitting, 
some young chickens just hatched were put down to 
her ; but she destroyed the whole. When flesh was 
given to her, she was very assiduous in tearing it, and 
offering it as food to her nurslings, and appeared 
uneasy, if, after taking small portions from her, they 
turned away to pick up grain.” 
THE EOUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD {Buteo lagopus)— 
Plate 3, fig. 7 — has been raised by many ornitholo- 
gists to the rank of a distinct genus under the name of 
Archib^deq; its principal distinction from the common 
buzzard consists in its having the tarsi clothed with 
feathers down to the origin of the toes. It is found in 
Britain, but by no means abundantly, and appears to 
be a winter visitor to this country ; its real dwelling- 
place being the coHl northern regions of both conti- 
nents. In its general habits it resembles the common 
buzzard ; it is described by Audubon as a sluggish bird, 
residing on the meadows and low grounds, and feeding 
principally on small quadrupeds and reptiles, although 
it also appears sometimes to attack larger animals, such 
as rabbits and ducks. Its nest is built 'udth sticks, 
amongst the branches of trees ; and it lays two eggs. 
Its southern migration during the winter is said some- 
times to extend as far as the Cape of Good Hope. 
THE HONEY BUZZARD {Pernis apivorus), which is 
placed by some ornithologists with the kites, is a com- 
mon bird in some parts of Europe, but a rare visitor to 
Fig. 98 
The Honey Buzzard (Bernis apivorus). 
this country, where it is only met with in the summer. 
It is also known to occur in Northern Africa and in 
Asia, It has a rather rveak bill, curved from the base, 
which is covered by a large cere, close to the anterior 
margin of which the elongated nostrils are placed 
obliquely. The spaces between the base of the bill 
and the eyes are clothed with small feathers, whereas 
in the buzzard these parts are covered with hairs, 
and the tarsi are reticulated. 
The Honey buzzard measures from twenty-two to 
twenty-five inches in length ; the colour of its upper 
surface is a nearly uniform brown, with the primaries 
black, or nearly so ; that of the lower surface is a pale 
yellowish-brown ; the top of the head is bluish in the 
male, whitish in the female, spotted in the latter with 
broum ; the tail feathers are barred with brown. The 
beak is black, with the cere grey, and the feet yellow, 
with black claws. 
