198 Birds. 
on mice, rabbits, frogs, and often on all sorts of carrion. 
Too idle to build itself a nest, it frequently seizes upon 
the old habitation of a crow, which it lines afresh with 
wool and other soft materials. In general this bird, 
whose colour varies considerably, is brown varied with 
yellow specks ; at a certain age its head becomes entirely 
gray. The female generally lays two or three eggs, 
which are mostly white, though sometimes spotted with 
yellow. Its length is usually twenty-two inches, and 
its breadth upwards of fifty. 
The following anecdote, related by Buifon, will show 
that the Buzzard may be so far tamed as to be rendered 
a faithful domestic. A Buzzard, which had been caught 
in a snare, was brought to a gentleman, who undertook 
to tame it. It was at first wild and ferocious, but by 
depriving it of food he succeeded in constraining it to 
come and eat out of his hand. By pursuing this plan 
he brought it to be very familiar ; and, after having shut 
it up about six weeks, he began to allow it a little 
liberty, taking the precaution, however, to tie both 
pinions of its wings. In this condition it walked out 
into his garden, and returned when called to be fed ; 
after some time, thinking he might trust to its fidelity, 
he removed the ligatures, and fastened a small bell above 
its talon, and also attached to its breast a bit of copper 
with his name engraved on it. He then gave it entire 
liberty, which it soon abused ; for it. took wing and flew 
into the forest of Belesme. The bird was given up for 
lost ; but four hours afterwards, it rushed into the 
gentleman's hall, pursued by five other Buzzards, which 
had driven it into its former asylum. After this ad- 
venture it preserved its fidelity, coming every night 
to sleep under the window. It soon became familiar, 
attended constantly at dinner, sat on a corner of the 
table, and often caressed its master with its head and 
bill, emitting a weak, sharp cry, which, however, it 
sometimes softened. It had a singular propensity of 
seizing from the head and flying away with the red caps 
of the peasants ; and so alert was it in whipping them 
off, that they found their heads bare without knowing 
what was become of their caps ; it even treated the wigs 
