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FALCON. SPE. VI. WOOD BUZZARD. No. 6. Falco buteo. Lin.SyJl.l. p. 127. La Bufe. Brif. Orn. I. p. 406. This bird is two feet in length ; in breadth four feet ; and in weight, two pounds an a half: the bill is lead colour; cere yellow: eyes, in young birds, brown; but in the old ones, of a pale yellow: the body above is of a rufty brown; beneath, dull white, varied and blotched with brown : the tail is brown, barred with a darker colour; the under part of it greyifh : legs yellow. The young of this, as well as thofe of the others of this genus, vary much in colour, in their approaches to the adult Hate. This is a very common fpecies, frequenting the woods, and breeding in vari ous parts of England. It frequently takes pofiellion of a crow’s neft, which it enlarges, and lines with foft materials, and lays two or three eggs. It feeds on hares, rabbits, rats, and mice; fometimes on birds. It is a fluggifh and in active bird, remaining for hours perched on the fame bough, watching for prey ; and when filled, it is to be found near the fame place. For the figure of the egg, fee PI. II. No. 1.
