2oS THE NESTS AND EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Range of egg colouration and measurement: 

 The eggs of Montagu's Harrier are from four to six in 

 number. They are pale bhiish-white, ahnost the colour 

 of skimmed milk, and very rarely have a few pale 

 markings of reddish-brown. Average measurement, 

 17 inch in length, by v^ inch in breadth. They are 

 laid at intervals of a day or so, and usually the bird 

 begins to sit at once. Incubation, performed by the 

 female, lasts from twenty-one to twenty-four days, 

 according to Tiedemann. 



Diagnostic characters : The eggs of this species 

 may be readily distinguished from those of the other 

 two species of British Harrier by their small size ; 

 whilst no other bird of prey breeding in our islands 

 (with the above exceptions) on the ground lays eggs at 

 all approaching them in colour. 



Family FALCONID^. Genus Circus. 



Sub-family ACCIPITRIN^. 



HEN HARRIER. 



Circus cyaneus {Liiinmis). 



Single Erooded. Laying season, May and early June. 



British breeding area : The Hen Harrier is 

 another very local bird, having been almost extermin- 

 ated from most of its accustomed haunts, especially in 

 England, by the gamekeeper. It still breeds (or 

 attempts to do so) very sparingly and locally on the 

 moors of Cornwall and Devonshire, in Wales, and the 

 lake district. In Scotland its chief strongholds are in 

 the Highlands, the Hebrides, and the Orkneys, although 



