and some other British Birds. 137 



satisfactorily proves that Falco cyaneus and pygargus are actually 

 of the same species, two queries arise out of the observations of 

 different authors. It has been remarked by Doctor Latham, 

 that no author has mentioned the Hen Harrier as a bird of the 

 American continent. Do the females only migrate to those par- 

 ticular parts where they have been observed, after the breeding 

 season ; or is not the transatlantic Ringtail a distinct species, 

 not differing in sexual plumage? The other query is with re- 

 spect to the sexual distinction of the Ash-coloured Falcon of 

 the Orn. Bid. which has been considered to be most probably 

 the Northern Falcon, or Falco hy emails ; for although the male 

 of this species has only occurred to me, yet, nothing having 

 been related by any author to induce a belief that the sexes are 

 essentially different in plumage, may we not reasonably conjec- 

 ture that the female F. hyemalis has been mistaken for a F. cyancus, 

 and possibly occasioned some of the accounts related, concern- 

 ing the similitude in the plumage of both sexes of the latter? 

 Indeed the E hyemalis has generally been described to be consi- 

 derably larger than those males which have come under my in- 

 spection, a circumstance serving to strengthen the opinion that 

 the sexes are similar in plumage, (the females of this tribe being 

 always the largest,) and may have been confounded with the 

 cyaneus, as was the case of the two specimens which were sent 

 to me. 



From the account here given of the Hen Harrier, it is quite 

 clear that the change of plumage is effected in the autumn 

 after it leaves the nest; and as it is between three and four 

 months in the act of moulting, it is certainly very extraordi- 

 nary that so few instances have occurred of its being killed in 

 that state which might have been decisive. That such has been 

 taken is evident by the description of Falco Hadsonius of an- 



2 B 2 tho, s. 



