adult, but also from each other. I have seen an Immature example o f a uniform chocolate-brown, and
others in a costume of mingled huff and brown. The bird evidently becomes whiter as it advances in ag e;
some have delicate grey heads, and flanks beautifully barred with dark brown, while, older birds have
strongly blotched markings over the whole o f the under surface. The fine pair from which my figures were
taken, were kindly lent to me for the purpose by John Rocke, Esq. They were trapped near th at gentleman’s
seat, Clungunford Hall, Shropshire, early in June 1865.
Sir William Jardine stated in his address to the Members o f the Berwickshire Naturalists’ Club, in
September 1836, th at ” The district around Twizell, in Northumberland, appears to be very attractive to
this species; for within a few years several specimens have been procured, both in the adult and the immature
plumage. One of them was observed to rise from the sitei of a wasps’ nest which it had been attempting
to excavate, and to a certain extent had accomplished the operation. The size of the hole which had been
made showed that a much greater power could be employed, and that the bird possessed organs m ick better
fitted to remove the obstacles which generally conceal Its prey than a superficial examination o f the feet
and legs would seen, to warrant. A few hours afterwards the task was found to be entirely completed, the
comb torn out and cleared o f the immature young. A steel trap, baited with the comb, secured the
aggressor in the course o f the next day, when he retnrned to review the scene o f his previous havoc; and
dissection proved that at this time mammalia or birds formed no p a rt o f its food.’’
Mr. Thompson states that the stomach of an example killed in Ireland contained a few o f the larvie and
some fragments of perfect coleopterons insects, several whitish-coloured hairy caterpillars, the pupa o f a
species of butterfly, and also o f the six-spot Burnet moth.” One examined by White of Selborne contained
limbs of frogs and many grey shelless snails! In Mr. Stevenson’s ’Birds o f Norfolk’ it is stated that the
stomach of an example killed at Holkham, and of a female taken a t Saxmundkam, was well filled with young
wasps; in a third, killed near Lowestoft, were found the remains of Blackbirds’ eggs, and in the throat
o f a fourth several small fragments of the eggs of the Song-Thrnsh. Mr. Yarrell was told that one kept in
confinement killed and ate rats as well as birds o f considerable size. It will therefore be seen that, although
wasps and their larvie form p art o f its food, its diet is so much varied that it may almost be regarded as
omnivorous. Buffon says that in winter, when fet, it is itself very good eating.
In llls ™ ’arks "P °" ■ smal1 birds >» full plumage, shot at Northrepps, near Cromer, on the 25th of
August, 1857, Mr Gurney says, About 9 o’clock this morning I was riding along a broad green drive
which runs through a wood in this place, when a Honey-Buzzard rose from the grass and alighted on a tree
a the edge o f the wood. I shortly after sent my gamekeeper in pursuit o f it, and he succeeded in shooting
i near the spot where I saw ,t. Hearing afterwards that it had been seen flying in company with a second
specimen, he returned to the drive and succeeded in shooting that also, very nearly at the same spot where
be had procured the first specimen, being guided in his search b , loud whistling cries which the bird was
making, probably as a call-note to the one which had been previously shot. About two hours later my son
w 10 was passing through the drive, saw a third specimen rise from the ground and alight on a tree in I
similar manner and nearly in the same place as the first. The gamekeeper was again sent in p u rsu it; but
u en 1C succee e in getting a view o f this bird, it had risen so high in the a ir that it was out o f shot and
continued flying a t a great height, in an inland direction, till it disappeared. Both specimens that were
procured were full adult dress, and possessed the beautiful grey tinge on the head which always distinguishes
the adult examples o f this bird. On dissection both o f these specimens proved to be male birds.
In e ir stomachs contained the remains o f wasps and wasp-grubs.” -
The nest which is o f a very large size, is placed in the forks o f frees, often of the beech ; it is shallow in
orm, and built o f stacks, o f considerable size, intermingled with twigs with their leaves on, and is lined with
leaves and wool. The eggs, which are generally deposited in June, are of a bright orange-brown, largely
■ H H i I ,midd'C' ^ ° tbCrS I B a t tbe 8 end’ ™th *"> abad<* of rich chestnut-
brown , their average length is about two inches, by one inch and three-quarters in breadth
H H ■ 8 Wmm S H rei,rese,1,s “ adnlt male’ ° f tbc natural size, with a nest
Tree-Wasp; the reduced figures in the distance, an adult female and two immature birds