ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD,
Buteo lagopus, FLEMING. Falco lagopus, PENNANT.
Buteo—A kind of Falcon or Hawk (Pliny). Lagopus, Lagos—A hare. Pons—A foot.

The Rough-legged Buzzard, says the accurate Macgillivray, may, like certain other bipeds, notwithstanding his boots and whiskers, be really less ferocious than he seems to be. This qualifying remark, however, it must be noted, is made with reference to a claim put forth in behalf of the character of this bird, to rescue it from the sweeping condemnation under which the preceding species has in like manner fallen.
The Rough-legged Buzzard is found in considerable numbers in various parts of Europe, Africa, and America. It occurs from the Cape of Good Hope, and the northern shores of Africa, to Russia, Lapland, and Scandinavia; likewise in Holland and France, and is common among the Rocky Mountains in North America, as also in North Carolina, and other parts of the United States. It is particularly abundant in some of the extensive forests of Germany, and is very frequently seen in the more cultivated districts which border on them. In England it appears to be more plentiful in the eastern and south-eastern parts than in any others, particularly in the counties of Norfolk and Sussex, in the latter of which it is said, by A. E. Knox, Esq., to be the abundant species, as compared with the other called the common one, which latter is there but rarely met with.
It is quite within my own recollection that the Rough-legged Buzzard was esteemed a very rare bird in this country; in fact it is only within the last few years that it has been so much oftener observed as to have become less valuable than previously on account of its supposed rarity. It is always easily distinguishable by its legs being feathered down to the toes, and by the preservation more or less, in all varieties, of the white at the base of the tail, and, in most specimens, the white on the middle, and the dark brown patch on the lower part of the breast. It has a habit of sitting with its feathers much ruffled and loose, which gives it the appearance of being a larger bird than it really is.
Several specimens have been obtained in different parts of Ireland, as recorded by William Thompson, Esq., of Belfast, who, however, considers it extremely rare there. He mentions one as having been taken alive about the middle of October, in the year 1831, near Dundonald, in the county of Down: the remains of birds, and of a rat, were found in it on dissection. Two others were seen about the same time at Killinchy, in the same county, one of which was shot, but unfortunately not preserved. Another was shot in the autumn of the year 1836, at Castlewellan, in the same county; and another near the end of the year 1837, at Powerscourt, the seat of the Marquis of Waterford, in the county of Wicklow. Others in the southern and eastern parts of Scotland; and there is now scarce a county in Eng-land in which one or more have not been procured almost every year since attention has been directed to its specific distinction from the Common Buzzard, with which species, beyond all question, it was before continually confounded.
In Yorkshire, a number of these birds were obtained near Sheffield, in the winter of 1839-40. One in 1875, November 16th., at Farnsfield. Another at Scarborough in the winter of 1879. Mr. H. Chapman, of York, has received some for preservation; and others are mentioned by Mr. Denny as having been shot at Garforth, in the year 1833. Two are recorded by Arthur Strickland, Esq.; one of them as having come into his own possession. It had been noticed on the Wolds for some time previously, and its flight was described as having a great resemblance to that of an Owl. Dr. Farrer reports two as having been taken in 1840: one of them shot at Clayton Heights, and the other trapped at Hawkworth Hall. One was shot at Bilham, near Doncaster, now in the possession of the Rev. Godfrey Wright, of that place, and others near Huddersfield, and at Black Hill, then a rabbit warren. For this information I am indebted to Mr. Allis, of Osbald-wick, near York, as well as for voluminous records of the whole of the Yorkshire Birds, being in fact the very able paper which he commu-nicated to the British Association, at their meeting at York, in the year 1844. To these valuable documents I shall have frequent occasion to refer, but this single acknowledgment of the favour must not be withheld. One, a male, near Burton Agnes, Yorkshire, was shot by Sir Henry Somerville Boynton, Bart., October 5th., 1869.
Montagu has recorded the occurrence of a few in his time in the south of England-one of them in Kent, picked up dead on the coast, in the winter of 1792, in which county another was shot in the Isle of Sheppy in the year 1844; and Selby several as having been met with in Northumberland in the winter of the year 1815; one in 1845 in the middle of January, in the parish of Bellingham, and one near Wiverton Hall, of which Mr. William Felkin, Junior, of Carrington, near Nottingham, has obligingly informed me; one near Alnwick, in March, 1828. In Devonshire, two have been killed near Dartmoor up to 1836; one at Egg Buckland in November, 1836. Mr. Doubleday has mentioned more than fifty specimens taken in one rabbit warren, in the county of Norfolk. Several also after the great storm the end of October, 1880, and three or four near Ipswich in Suffolk. One shot, and another seen, at Whittinghame, Haddington-shire, in August, 1854; others in Bast Lothian in 1823. In Guernsey, two at the Island of Hern in 1879.
This bird frequents the more wooded parts of the open country, and, if undisturbed, will continue to resort at night to the same tree, or the same wood, to roost. The Rough-legged Buzzard remains in this country throughout the whole of the year, at least some individuals have been met with both in summer and winter. It is migratory, like the species described in the preceding article, and, as there men-tioned, even accompanies it in its movements, but whether its flights on those occasions are long or short-complete expatriations or mere local removes, or 'flittings.' to use a not inappropriate Yorkshire word, is a matter which at present cannot be pronounced upon with certainty. They do not always accompany the more extensive caravans of Common Buzzards, but sometimes keep to themselves in small flocks of from three to five.
It would appear that this species is more nocturnal than others of the Falcon family in seeking its prey-sometimes hawking even until long after sunset, a fact which, in connection with the looseness and softness of its plumage, has not unnaturally suggested an approximation to the Owl tribe. But, inasmuch as the Harriers approach still nearer to them in another respect, if it is to be linked with them, it must be by means of an imaginary loop-the links of the direct chain being broken, or rather superseded. That a real natural bond of union, so to call it, does exist from the highest to the lowest animal in the scale of creation, is without doubt to be received as true, but even with the materials to his hand, how shortsighted is man to trace it-how utterly blind-a mere wanderer in darkness, while all around him is light.
The flight of the species before us is, like that of the Common Buzzard, slow and stealthy. The bird is easy on the wing, and passes much of its time in hawking for its food, though it does not con-tinue long at once in the air. Sometimes, however, it will remain for a considerable time stationary in a tree, doubtless for the same reason that actuates its predecessor (in this work). In the breeding season it has also the like habit of soaring aloft over and around its eyrie.
The Rough-legged Buzzard preys on rabbits, leverets, rats, mice, moles, frogs, lizards, birds, and insects. When instigated by hunger, it has been known to fly at ducks and other such larger game than the Common Buzzard aims at. In general, however, its habit is not to pursue its prey if on the wing, but to pounce on any which it may suddenly and unawares steal on. A wounded bird it will more readily fly after, conscious that it offers more certain success. Meyer says that it, like the other species, will rob the Peregrine without resistance from the latter.
The note is a loud squeel, somewhat resembling the neighing of a foal, but, says Wilson, more shrill and savage.
This species breeds occasionally in this country, and I am happy to be able to mention Yorkshire as the county in which the fact was first ascertained, the locality being among the beautiful scenery around Hackness, near Scarborough. The nest resembles that of the Common Buzzard, being composed of sticks, and but slightly lined. It is built, like those of other birds of the Hawk and Eagle kind, either on high trees, or precipitous and inaccessible cliffs, mountains, or rocks.
The eggs vary very considerably in colour. Some are found nearly entirely white, others of a dingy or yellowish white, more or less blotted with yellowish brown; some of a greenish white shade, spotted with pale brown; and others with reddish brown. They are from three to five in number, but generally four.
The bird before us, like the preceding one, varies also much in plumage, though not quite to so great an extent as it, the brown and the white prevailing in different individuals in a greater or less degree.
The belt on the lower part of the breast, and the white at the base of the tail, are the least variable parts, but even these are by no means permanent in shape or depth of colouring.
Weight, about two pounds and a half; length, from about one foot ten inches to two feet, or two feet one; bill bluish black, or horn-colour, at the base, and black at the tip; it is weak, small in size, much hooked, and has no tooth, but only a slight inclination towards one; cere, yellow, or greenish yellow, probably according to age; iris, pale yellow, but it occasionally, as is likewise the case with the Common Buzzard, is found to vary, and is brown, or greyish white. The space between the bill and the eye is covered with short bristly feathers. The head, which is very wide and flat above, is light brown, or buff, sometimes yellowish, or yellowish white, streaked with brown.
The neck, short, yellowish brown, streaked or spotted with a darker shade of the latter in the centre of each feather; chin, fawn-colour, tinged with rust-colour; throat, fawn-colour, or yellowish white inclining to cream-colour, and slightly streaked with brown, sometimes a mixture of fawn and rust-colour; breast, brown, with streaks of yellowish white, with spots of brown, the lower part being banded with a bar of dark brown; back, brown, the feathers being edged with a paler shade.
The wings, which measure from about four feet two to four feet three or four inches across, and reach nearly to the end of the tail-about an inch short of it-are brown, some of the feathers edged with fawn-colour: the third and fourth quill feathers are the longest in the wing, the first and second are short. The wings are partly white underneath. Greater wing coverts, pale brown, edged with dull white, or still paler brown, or yellowish white; lesser wing coverts, pale brown, edged with yellow; primaries, brownish black. The tail, which is rather long, and slightly rounded at the end, is white at the base, and irregularly barred with deeper or lighter brown near the end, which is tipped with white, the general colour being buff white on the upper half of the superior surface, and brown on the lower half; beneath, the upper half white, the lower greyish brown. In some specimens there are no indications of bars on either side of the tail, and others have only a band near the tip on the under side; upper tail coverts, white, or buff white, streaked or spotted with brown, and. edged with yellowish brown; under tail coverts, yellowish white, or buff white. The legs are feathered down to the toes-this being in fact the distinguishing 'trait in its character.' The feathers are reddish, tawny yellow, or cream yellow, streaked and spotted with brown; toes, dark yellow, and rather short-the outer and middle ones are united by a membrane. They are all reticulated at the upper end, and have several large scales at the lower end, near the claws; the middle toe is said to have seven or eight, the outer one five, and the inner and hinder ones four each, but I must here repeat the remark I have previously made. The claws, black and long, but not much hooked.
The female is considerably larger than the male-the larger measure-ments given above belonging to her. The lighter parts of the plumage are darker than in him, and the under tail coverts are spotted with brown. One variety is so very dark as to appear almost black at a little distance, and the legs and bill are darker in proportion, assuming an orange hue.
Temminck, and after him Meyer, describes a dark mottled variety of this species, of which the latter says that the whole head, neck, and breast are black, the feathers bordered with reddish white; the band above the thighs white, crossed with black lines; the thighs and feathered tarsi rufous, crossed with many narrow black bars, the black occupying rather the great portion; in these specimens the tail is white, banded near the tip with a broad black bar, above which are four or five narrower bars of the same colour. In some of them, the throat and sides of the body are quite black, very narrowly streaked with yellowish white: these are considered to be the oldest birds. In autumn, after moulting, all are darker than in the summer, the plumage having become faded.
Montagu describes another variety killed in Suffolk, as having the tail of a cream-coloured white, a brown bar, above an inch in length, near the tip; above that, another, half an inch broad, and above these, each feather as having a spot upon it in the middle, resembling, when spread, a third bar; the two outer feathers on each side marked with a few irregular spots of brown on the outer webs, almost the whole of their length. It was probably a male, as it measured only one foot ten inches in length.
Pennant has mentioned another, shot near London, which had the extreme half of the tail brown, tipped with dull white; but I see scarcely any variety in this from the ordinary marking of the bird, unless it be that there were no bars in the lower—the brown half of the tail.
Meyer describes a variety as having the head, neck, and breast, black, the feathers bordered with reddish white, the latter with the white band crossed with black lines, the feathers of the legs rufous, crossed with many narrow black bars, the black occupying rather the greater portion; the tail, white, with a broad black band near the tip, within which are four or five narrow bars of the same colour. In some specimens of this variety the throat and spots of the breast are quite black, very narrowly streaked with yellowish white.

"Above the rest, The noble Buzzard ever pleased me best."
DRYDEN.