77//; RM^rokEs (>/•• ////•; ruyjAii. 247 



tho wings. The \\\^\wv parts, whoii seen vary from light grey to almost 

 black. Tho male of the Marsh Harrier in adult plumage is rufous about 

 tho breast and body generally and there is a lot of light blue-groy ab«mt 

 tho wings, the tips being black. The hens of tho two first mentioned are a 

 light brown throughout, profusely speckled and spotted along the undor- 

 parts, the brown being darker and more uniform above. A light buff col- 

 lar is freipiontly visible as the bird ilies past. A patch of white is visible 

 «<u the lower portion of the back, near the root of tho tail, which is iinich 

 more pronounced in the Hen Harrier than it is in the other species. These 

 birds do not often soar, except in the Himalayas, on their way to and from 

 the plains, and are usually found beating over low scrub or grassy plains, 

 with strong steady beat of the wings and checking every now and again to 

 drop silently into a bush after some small bird. 



The Buzzard'^. — 1 have already described the Buzzards in their molanistic 

 ])hase of dress but they as frequently appear in a plumage which varies 

 from light rufous brown to pure white on the head, nock and breast. It is 

 impossible to describe the plumage of this genus hero, as it varies from the 

 one in which dark brown predominates to the very light rufous in which 

 white plays an important part, even if it does not predominate and various 

 phases between these two extremes are by no means uncommon. 



Neophron. — Tho Scavenger Vultures vary, if anything, even more than 

 the Buzzards. From the dark brown of the immature plumage to tho pure 

 white (usually a dirty white), with black margins to tho wings, of the adult 

 plumage. Tho flight of tho Scavenger Vultures is not unlike that of 

 dypaetux l)arl>atu<, both having long narrow wungs and a wedge-shaped tail, 

 but the latter is, of course, more than twice tho size. Wings are held in a 

 level with the body, and tho flight is light, easy and graceful and the bird, 

 in the air, cuts a very different flgure to tho ungainly, untidy bird one is 

 accustomed to see on the ground. 



When once the flight has been mastered it is extraordinary how very 

 simple identiflcation becomes, even in abnormal specimens. Take for ins- 

 tance a Kite without a tail, a common enough sight, yet there is no mis- 

 taking it for what it is, in spite of the fact that a forked tail is its chief 

 characteristic. 



I have been told on more than one occasion, that to know a 

 Kite is simple enough, but a Kite will not go far to help one to recog- 

 nise other species. The Kite will not help you but familiarity will. 

 Everybodj' is familiar with the deportment of a Kite and can recognise 

 it under anj' circumstances, simply because it is almost impossible to go 

 out of a house without seeing one and the average person, unwittingly, 

 takes in the various tricks of its flight and becomes gradually fami- 

 liar with them. Tho same is possible with all other species, once a 

 beginning is made and one has got into the way of watching for the 

 characteristics. 



From the above it must not be presumed that a mistake is impossible, 

 but given normal specimens, I do maintain that in 80 per cent, of cases it 

 is fairly easy to arrive at the -correct conclusion with a little practice. 



N. B. — Mr. Hume in " Rough Notes" gives some very interesting measure- 

 ments of the wings of Eagles from which it will be seen that in some speci- 

 mens the tip of the primaries in the closed wing fall short of the tip of the 

 tail by as much as 2| inches. This might possibly be the case in certain 

 individuals but these must be treated as rare exceptions. In a specimen 

 in which the tail has moulted and attained its full length before the prima- 

 ries for instance, but as a general rule the wings of tho true Eagles will 

 not fall short of the tip of the tail by more than an inch or so, whereas in 

 the case of the Hawk-Eagles 2 A" will be the minimum and as a rule a good 



