20 
BRITISH BIRDS, 
defcription are taken from a very fine living bird 
fent us by John Silvertop, Efq. of Minfter-Acres, 
in the county of Northumberland, which very 
nearly agreed with that figured in the Planches 
Enlwninees. Birds of this kind vary much — in 
fome the crown and back part of the head are yel- 
low > and in one defcribed by Mr Latham, the 
Whole bird was uniformly of a chocolate brown, 
with a tinge of ruft colour. It preys on rabbits, 
young wild ducks, and other water fowl, and like- 
wife feeds on filh, frogs, reptiles, and even infedts : 
Its haunts are in hedges and bulhes near pools, 
marlhes, and rivers, that abound with fifh ; it 
builds its neft a little above the furface of the 
ground^ or in hillocks covered with thick herbage; 
the female lays three or four eggs, of a whitifli 
colour, irregularly fprinkled with dulky fpots : — - 
Though fmaller, it is more a&ive and bolder than 
the Common Buzzard ; and when purfued, it meets 
its antagonift, and makes a vigorous defence. 
