a man.

nests among the highest and most inaccessible rocks. The female lays two white eggs, somewhat bigger than those of a turkey. Some writers have affirmed that the Condur is twice as large as an eagle, and so strong that it can pounce upon and devour a whole sheep; that it spares not even stags, and can easily overthrow Others say that its beak is so firm that it can pierce a cow's hide, and that two Condurs are able to kill an ox and devour the carcass. They are sometimes caught by a person covering himself with the hide of a newly skinned animal, and when attacked by the Condur in this disguise, other persons that have hidden themselves, come forward to his assistance, and all together fall on the bird, overpower, and kill him. It has generally been imagined that the accounts of this dreadful animal gave rise to the exaggerated description of the bird that makes so conspicuous a figure in the Arabian Nights, under the name of Roc; but this seems very improbable, as we have no satisfactory evidence of the Condur having ever been found on the old continent. The traditions respecting the Roc originated in a very different bird, a variety of the bearded eagle, or the well known lammer-geyer of the Alps, which is occasionally seen among the mountains of the East.

The Condur usually keeps in the mountains, where it finds its prey, and never descends to the seashore but in the rainy season; for as they are very sensible of cold, they go there for greater warmth. Condamine says he has frequently seen these birds in several parts of the mountains of Quito, hovering over a flock of sheep; and he thinks they would at a certain time have attempted to carry one off, had they not been scared away by the shepherds. The Spaniards themselves dread their depredations, and instances are frequent in that country of their taking away children.

Is a rapacious bird, of the long-winged hawk kind, and the most common of all in England. He is of a sluggish indolent nature, often remaining perched on the same bough for the greatest part of the day; as if, indifferent either to the allurements of food or of pleasure, he were doomed, like some of the human species, to pass his allotted span of life in passive contemplation. He feeds on mice, rabbits, frogs, and often on all sorts of carrion. Too idle to build himself a nest, he generally seizes upon the old habitation of a crow, which he lines afresh with wool and other soft materials. It is said, that the male, feeling a noble passion for the preservation of his young, will often rear them, if the female happen to be killed. In general this bird, whose colour varies considerably, is brown, varied with yellow specks; at a certain age his head becomes entirely gray. The female generally lays two or three eggs, which are mostly white, though sometimes spotted

with yellow. The common length of this bird is twentytwo inches, and his breadth upwards of fifty.

The following anecdote, related by Buffon, will show that the Buzzard may be so far tamed as to be rendered a faithful domestic. A gentleman had a Buzzard brought to him that had been caught in a snare, which he undertook to tame. It was at first wild and ferocious, but he succeeded by leaving it to fast, and 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 constrained it to seek again its asylum. After this adventure 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 of the old men in the same way, hiding its booty in the tallest trees.

G

BREEDS in lofty trees in Scotland, and destroys a great quantity of small game, which he seizes with his sharp and crooked talons, and carries to his nest. He is somewhat larger than the common buzzard, of the falcon tribe; his bill is blue, and a white stripe runs over each eye; there is also a large white spot on each side of the neck. The general colour of the plumage is deep brown; the breast and belly white transversely streaked with black; and the legs yellow. The Goshawk is found in France and Germany; it is not very common in this country, but is more frequent in Scotland. In Chinese Tartary there is a variety which is mottled with brown and yellow. They are said to be used by the emperor of China in his sporting excursions, when he is usually attended by his great falconer, and a thousand of inferior rank. Every bird has a silver plate fastened to its foot, with the name of the falconer who has the charge of it, that, in case it should be lost, it may be restored to the proper person; but

if it should not be found, the name is delivered to another officer, called the guardian of lost birds, who, to make his situation known, erects his standard in a conspicuous place among the army of hunters. In former times, the custom of carrying a Hawk on the hand was confined to men of high distinction; so that it was a saying among the Welsh, " You may know a gentleman by his Hawk, horse, and greyhound." Even the ladies in those times were partakers of this gallant sport, and have been represented in pictures with Hawks on their hands. At present this noble diversion is wholly laid aside in this country. The expense attending the sport was very considerable, which confined it to princes and men of the highest rank. In the time of James the First, Sir Thomas Monson is said to have given a thousand pounds for a cast of Hawks. In the reign of Edward the Third it was made felony to steal a Hawk; to take its eggs, even in a person's own grounds, was punishable with imprisonment for a year and a day, together with a fine at the king's pleasure. Such was the delight our ancestors took in this royal sport, and such were the means by which they endeavoured to secure it. The Falcons, or Hawks, chiefly used in these kingdoms were the present species, the Falcon, the Peregrine Falcon, Iceland Falcon, and the Ger Falcon. The game usually pursued were cranes, wild geese, pheasants, and partridges. The duke of St. Albans is still hereditary grand falconer of England, but the office is not now exercised.