The Crested Honey Buzzard. BIRDS. The Golden Eagle. 247 
The food of this bird consists of small mammalia, 
nished with a crest, which it is able to raise and depress 
birds, reptiles, and inseets ; and in the summer and 
at pleasure. The flight of this species is slow, and its 
autumn it appears to derive a great part of its nourish- 
general habits seem to resemble those of its European 
ment from the larvae of wasps, which it obtains by 
relative. The stomach of a female shot by Mr. Jerdon 
digging out the nests, and breaking up the comb. A 
contained a soft green mass, which he supposed to be 
specimen observed by Mr. Selby, near Twizel in North- 
the remains of half-digested catei’pillars; that of a male 
umberland, was seen “ to rise from the situation of a 
bird killed by the same gentleman contained a large 
wasp’s nest, which it had been attempting to excavate. 
quantity of pure honey. Mr. Elliot also found in the 
or, in fact, to a certain extent had accomplished ; and 
stomach of a specimen a mixture of ants, wax, and 
the large hole which had been scraped showed that a 
honey; so that we may suppose the natural food of this 
much greater power could be employed, and that the 
species to consist, partly at all events, of the last-men- 
bird possessed organs much better fitted to remove the 
tioned substance, for which the European species is 
obstacles which generally concealed its prey, than a 
also said to entertain a predilection. A second speci- 
superficial examination of its feet and legs would war- 
men examined by Mr. Elliot betrayed more predaceous 
rant us in ascribing to it. A few hours afterwards, the 
propensities ; its stomach contained the hair of a rat. 
task was found to be entirely completed; the comb 
THE ABYSSINIAN BUZZARD (Biiteo augur) is an 
torn out and cleared from the immature young ; and 
exceedingly common bird in Abyssinia, where it is 
after-dissection proved that at this season (autumn) at 
regarded by the inhabitants as furnishing important 
least, birds and mammalia formed no part of its food.” 
omens to those about setting forth on a journey. 
The larvae of wasps also seem to constitute the chief 
According to Salt, the Ab 3 ’’ssinians, on meeting one 
food of the young. In fact, in most cases insects ap- 
of these birds at the commencement of a journey. 
pear to have been the chief food of the specimens killed 
watch it very carefully, and draw good or bad omens 
in England ; the larvae of wasps and bees being mixed 
from its motions : — “ If it sit still with its breast towards 
with caterpillars, and beetles and their larvae ; in one 
them until they have passed, it is a peculiarly good 
examined by White of Selborne, the stomach contained 
sign ;-ttnd everything is expected to go well during the 
the limbs of frogs and a great many grey slugs. These 
course of the journey. If its back be turned towards 
birds have, however, been captured in traps baited with 
them, it is considered an unpropitious sign, but not 
young rabbits ; they have been seen to strike and carry 
sufficiently so to create alarm ; but if it should fly away 
off young pheasants ; and a specimen kept in confine- 
hastily on their approach, some of the most super- 
ment killed and ate rats, as well as birds of considerable 
stitious among them will immediately return back to 
size, with great ease and appetite.. 
their homes, and wait till a more favourable oppor- 
In a state of nature it is described as rather an inac- 
tunity for commencing their expedition occur.” Dr. 
tive bird, rarely flying, except from one tree to another. 
Both states that he never foimd anything but locusts 
and never rising to any great elevation ; on the ground 
in its stomach ; but, according to Riippell, it feeds upon 
it runs with great rapidity, almost like a fowl. Its 
small birds and bats, and pursues the latter chiefly 
nest is built in some high tree in a wood or forest. 
when roused from their retreats by the passage of 
and is composed of twigs, and lined with dead leaves. 
caravans or other large bodies of men, which it fre- 
The eggs, which vary from two to fom- in number, are 
quently accompanies or precedes. To this circum- 
blotched over with two shades of orange-brown. 
stance Dr. Ruppell ascribes the belief in the faculty of 
THE CRESTED HONEY BUZZARD {Permis cristata) is 
divination supposed to be possessed by this bird, as 
a native of the northern parts of India, where, however, 
above described, and which is expressed in its specific 
it does not appear to be common. Its head is fur- 
name. 
/ 
EAGLES. 
THE GOLDEN EAGLE {Aquila chrysaetos), which is 
are yellow, and the claws black. The tarsi are 
certainly the finest British species of the group to 
clothed with feathers down to the root of the toes. 
which the name of eagles is commonly applied, and 
In its structure the golden eagle exhibits the char- 
j-ields in size and majesty to few if any of his foreign 
acteristics of its tribe in the highest perfection. Its 
relatives, must first engage our attention. This mag- 
beak is rather short, but exceedingly powerful, and 
nificent bird is found not only in Britain, and in all 
the upper mandible terminates in a strongly-hooked 
the mountainous parts of the continent of Europe, but 
and acute point ; but the sharp teeth which we shall 
also occurs in Asia as far to the east as Northern India, 
find in the true or noble Falcons, on the margins of 
in the north of Africa, and also in North America. Its 
the mandible, are here represented only by a slight 
usual length is about three feet, and the wings spread 
festoon. The feet are enormously strong, and the toes 
seven or eight feet when extended. The general colour 
armed with claws of great length and acuteness, curved 
of the plumage is dark brown, with the belly and 
in such a manner that the grasp of tlie foot must 
thighs bay, and the quill feathers of the wings blackish. 
immediately bury them in the body of the prey. 
The tail feathers are varied with two shades of brown ; 
The flight of this bird, as might be expected from 
the beak is of a bluish horn colour, the cere and toes 
its great length of wing, is most majestic and powerful. 
