THE MARSH HARRIER 151 



As is usual with birds nesting in such aquatic 

 situations, the structure is added to from time to 

 time, not only to increase its bulk and stability, 

 but to replace material that may be washed away. 

 The nest of this Harrier is a bulky one, made of 

 reeds, sticks, and twigs, and lined with dead grass 

 and other aquatic vegetation. The eggs are from 

 three to six in number, and pale bluish green, 

 almost white in colour, occasionally marked with 

 rusty brown. Incubation appears to be performed 

 by the female, and but one brood is reared in the 

 season. 



The adult male Marsh Harrier has the head and 

 nape creamy white, streaked with dark brown ; 

 the remainder of the upper parts is reddish brown, 

 with paler margins to the feathers ; the primaries 

 are black, the secondaries and tail ash grey ; the 

 under parts are chestnut brown. The female, 

 although a trifle larger, closely resembles the male 

 in colour. Young birds are uniform dark brown, 

 spotted with paler brown, except the crown and 

 throat, which are pale buff. The length of this 

 Harrier is about twenty-two inches. 



