COMMON BUZZARD.
stocked with rabbits. Having placed a trap baited with a blue hare on a small pile of stones, a watch was
kept ; aad in twenty-four hours three young Buzzards were taken, in addition to a cat and a stoat.
This species, I am of opinion, docs but little harm to game. It has been stated by some writers who are
considered good authorities that it will take young Grouse and Partridges; hut, according to my own
experience, the damage caused in this manner must he exceedingly slight. When in the neighbourhood
of their breeding-quarters I always carefully searched the ground in order to discover on what they had
been feeding. Scattered over the grassy slopes and on the nearest ledges I have found the remains of hareaad
rabbit-fur, and at times some portions of skins that appeared to have belonged to moles and mice. In
no single instance have I detected feathers, either in the vicinity of the nest or in their costings. A wounded
or diseased bird, I have but little doubt, woidd prove acceptable; but that they would tackle a strong and
healthy Grouse, or even the young thai were not deprived of the protection of either one or both of their
parents, must, i should imagine, he of rare occurrence. In most districts where the Buzzard still survives,
blue hares or rabbits are numerous, and in some cases so abundant as to be a nuisance; In these parts, at
any rate, it is a pity that the bird should he exterminated. Scientific naturalisls condemn keepers for
destroying this species; it ought, however, to be borne in mind that these men arc hound to set traps, in order
to keep down Crows, stoats, and other vermin ; and, whether they desiro it or not, the Buzzard, owing to the
manner in which it procures its food, is almost sure to offer itself as the first victim. It is, I am aware,
possible to eouduct the extermination of vermin, by judiciously placed traps and the occasional use of
the gun, in such a manner that none hut the guilty are destroyed; hut such accurate knowledge of the
habits of all birds and beasts of prey is, I am afraid, more than can be reasonably expected of the majority
of gamekeepers.
I am ignorant of the age at which this species acquires the perfect adult plumage. The tiitfercncc
lietween the young and the mature specimens I have obtained is not striking; and the Plates will show
the two stages far better than I am able to describe them. The immature bird was trapped in September
ISfio, and the adult male shot at its nesting-quarters a few years later, both specimens being obtained in the
Highlands. The old male, when fresh killed, was remarkably brightly coloured, parts of the breast and flanks
being deeply tinted with reddish brown. I noticed after a few years that its plumage had faded considerably;
and the artist has been forced to rely somewhat on a rough sketch I made myself, in order to produce his
drawing. The female was by no means so richly marked, and much resembled the immature specimen.
Though none have fallen to my own exertions, I have seen many young birds, in very curious stages or
plumage, that have recently been shot or trapped by keepers. Several specimens were of a uniform dark-brown
or chocolate colour, in others a pale red or cinnamon was the pervading tint. During the last few years these
varieties appear to have occurred more frequently. I never remember to have seen a single specimen, either
old or young, on wing in the Highlands that approached these birds in colour; and from the fact that all I
examined were procured iu either Norfolk or Sussex or the adjoiaing counties, it is possible that they are
all foreign bred. Should, however, dark-coloured birds have boon obtained breeding in some parts of tho
British Islands, my supposition that these varieties arc all from tho north of Europe at once falls to
the ground.
An extract from my notes referring to the capture of the male represented in the Plate will supply some
information as to tho unsuspicious character of the bird and the rapidity with which a mate is at times
procured when one is lost. On this occasion, in little over half an hour after tho death of the male, tho
female was calmly seated on her eggs, with a fresh partner quietly perched on a stump within a few feet
of her nest.
"May 30.—Started early from the inn, in a downpour of Tain, to make our way to the glen whore the
Buzzard was supposed to be breeding. I have had many a tramp through dull ami dreary wastes; but I
COMMON BUZZARD. 3
scarcely ever remember a journey so long and uninteresting. Thick drifting mist obscured the view on all
sides; and after leaving the low ground not a glimpse of the surrounding country was obtained beyond the
distance of a few hundred yards on either side, until we descended from the high moors into a grassy valley
shut in by steep and broken cliffs. The heavy rain now cleared, and was succeeded by occasional showers,
while the clouds rolled further up the hills. Being uncertain about the exact spot where the nest was situated,
we kept, close below the rocks, on towards tho northern extremity of the glen, in which part the shepherd who
bad brought the information had noticed the birds. At length, during a heavy squall of sleet and rain, a
Buzzard was noticed to leave the cliffs; but. although we closely examined the whole face of the rocks both
from above and below, wc could detect no signs of a nest. In order to give tho bird a chance to return, we
retired to the cover of a broken bank in a gully, at a distance of three or four hundred yards from the spot we
required to watch. Scarcely live minutes had passed when the pair of birds were seen Hying in circles at some
height in the air; then, gradually extending their flight towards the north, they were lost to sight in the
mist. A few moments later, one suddenly returned, and, sweeping close under tho cliffs, at once disappeared
onto one of the ledges we had previously examined. Leaving one of the keepers in the valley to mark the
exact spot when the bird came out, we took a circuitous course, and again made our way to the top of the
rocks. On reaching the summit, and crawling cautiously to the edge or the cliffs, tho bird left the ledge,
which was within the distance of a few feet, so rapidly that it was impossible, on iug to my cramped position,
to obtain a shot. I was able to detect the situation of the nest; and, the ropes being produced, there was but
little difficulty in reaching the ledge. Though the distance was so slight, the rock proved to he dangerous for
roplng-work. If it had been necessary to descend far, the risk would have been considerable, as numbers
of luosc stones were detached. The nest was placed on a small grassy ledge, partly sheltered, and almost
obscured from view by a projecting blab or rock. It was not a particularly neat slruciure, lieiug roughly put
together, and consisting or heather stalks aud roots, with a few pieces of that coarse-growing rush so
commonly seen iu nests of Eagles, and lined with line twigs entwined with strands of grass. As I had
previously obtained specimens of adult birds, the nest and eggs were tho main objects or my visit; and, owing
to the crumbling nature or the rock. 1 was afraid lest a second descent might prove destructive to them. We
consequently removed the nest and eggs, which wen' securely lifted to the top or the clill's; and then, in order
t o decoy the old hints, I constructed a rresh nest from dead heather, and also two imitation eggs made up of
balls of heather tied tightly in pieces of rag cut frotu my dirty pucket-handkerchier. About a Toot and a hair
or t u r r with fine short grass separated the nest from the edge or the precipice; and here we placed a trap,
concealed with the greatest care. I imagined that one iff the old birds might possibly settle on the ledge and
he taken, but never calculated that they would lie sufficiently imposed upon to venture on the nest. When
completed, the whole affair had a most natural appearance. Looking dowu from above, it was impossible to
detect the changes that had been effected. On our nay back we discovered a pmjerthig rock at a slightly
higher clevatiou, bom which a far better view could he obtained of tho ledge where the nest was situated. From
this point I was satisfied the birds could have been easily killed at the time of our first visit, if we had bem
acquainted with the exact position of the eyrie. Tired and hungry, and hut little inclined to wait for the
chance of a shot till after a rest, 1 turned downhill to when' we had left the man to keep watch, lie reported
that during the lime wc had been employed about the rock he had been amble to make out either of tin:
birds. A short distance further up flic glen the mist was still thick; so it was quite possible that they might
have liceu within a quarter of a mile without having been discerned. Lunch was now brought out; hut a
commencement had scarcely been made, when one of the Buzzards was noticed to skim rapidly under the
shadow of the clill's, tind at once disap|iear onto the ledge. Two or three glasses were turned to the spot by
the time the nest was reached; but the bird apparently avoided the trap, ami •lighted at once on the eggs, as
not the slightest disturbance was noticed. After waiting about half an hour longer, as the bird gave no signs