FALCONID.E. 0'6 



slowly, at but a little distance from the ground, 

 beating over every part of the surface like a dog 

 hunting for game. Others, more familiar with 

 north-country language, derive the name from the 

 Border word to " harry/^ which means to make a 

 raid upon cattle. 



' The ty|3e of the race is — 



The Hen-Harrier {Circus* cyaneus), a British bird 

 usually met with in flat marshy districts, or on low 

 moors and commons, where it finds abundance of small 

 quadrupeds, such as young rabbits, leverets, rats, and 

 mice, as well as snakes, frogs, and unfledged birds. 

 Upon these it pounces suddenly, when it finds them 

 among the herbage. It does not liesitate upon occasions 

 to attack a grouse or a partridge, and has even been 

 known to seize upon a pheasant. Indeed, we rather 

 suspect that its name of Hen-Harrier would indicate its 

 propensity for plundermg — that is, " harry mg," the 

 poultry-yard when an opportunity presents itself 



The flight of the Hen-Harrier while in quest of its 

 prey is altogether peculiar. It is light and buoyant, but 

 performed at no great elevation from the ground, which 

 it quarters with the utmost regularity, traversmg a cer- 

 tain extent of country, and returning nearly to the same 

 place at a given time for many days together. While 

 thus skimming along with noiseless wings, it strongly 

 reminds us of the Owls, and, like them, it pounces down 

 upon its prey with unerring precision. 



The Hen-Harrier makes its nest upon the ground in 

 wild and solitary situations among the tufted herbage 

 most prevalent upon the spot selected, and here it incu- 

 bates and rears its young. The eggs very much resemble 

 those of an Owl, but are larger. They are of a dull, 

 dirty white colour, without any spots. 



* KipKOQ, kirkos, a hind of haivk, which flies in circles. 



