194 BIRDS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA 



Breeds. — British Isles ; N.and C. Continental Europe from about 

 Arctic Circle south to Pyrenees and N. Italy, east to Urals ; and 

 through-out N. Asia. Migrates; winters in Egypt and NAV. Africa 

 (rare), E. Africa and India; occasional birds winter in S. Europe. 



Circus macrourus (Gmelin). Pale Harrier. Ger. 

 Steppenweihe ; Ital. Albanella pallida. 



^ Above grey, upper tail coverts and tail feathers except 

 central pair barred white ; beneath white, throat and upper 

 breast tinged grey; ruff complete. $ like ? "cyaneus" but 

 upper tail coverts with rusty spots and underparts tinged rust 

 colour. Bill slaty black, bluish at base. Iris golden yellow. 

 Cere, legs and feet yellow, ist primary about equal to 6th, 2nd 

 to 4th emarginate, 5th not emarginate ; emargination of 2nd 

 begins close to coverts. Wing ^ 340-360, $ 340-373- Tarsus 

 65-71. Bill.i8-22. Young : almost uniform rufous on underparts, 

 similar to young of " pygargus '^ ; iris brown. 



Breeds. — Baltic Provinces, S. and C. Russia to about 57° N., 

 Rumania, Bulgaria ; also S.W. Siberia and C. Asia. Occurs on 

 migration in Germany (some breed) and S.E. Europe, Asia Minor, 

 and N.W. Africa. Winters in Egypt (where some breed) and 

 Africa south to Cape Colony and S. Arabia and India. Rare 

 visitor to W. Europe. 



Circus pygargus (L.). Montagu's Harrier. Fr. Busard 

 cendre ; Ger. Weisenweihe ; Ital. Albanella minore ; Swed. 

 Mindre Karrhok. 



^ Above grey ; primaries black, secondaries white on inner 

 webs, with two dark bars visible above ; beneath, throat and breast 

 grey, abdomen white streaked rufous ; ruff interrupted in front. 

 $ like ? "macrourus," best distinguished by wing formula. 

 Bill horn black, greenish grey at base below. Cere, legs and 

 feet yellow. Iris yellow. 2nd to 4th primaries emarginate outer 

 webs, emargination of 2nd begins about 30 m.m. beyond coverts. 

 Wing ^ ? 355-380. Tarsus 57-61. Bill 16-19. 



Breeds. — England ; Continental Europe south of Baltic, S. 

 and C. Russia and Urals from about 57^ ; N. Morocco ; also C. 

 Asia to Mongolia. Migrates ; occurs on passage Mediterranean 

 Islands, Tunisia, and Algeria. Winters in Egypt, tropical and 

 S. Africa, and India. 



