230 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS 



from off their nests." This points to the harriers having 

 actually attempted to nest here, an event that has 

 not been recorded in the north for seventy years, i.e., 

 since 1835, when a brood was destroyed at Woking- 

 ham, county Durham, as recorded in Mr Hancock's 

 Catalogue, two of these being - now in the museum at 

 Newcastle. 



As regards Montagu's harrier "dragging grouse from off 

 their nests," I will not dispute the statement, though I 

 doubt it, being acquainted with Montagu's harrier in 

 Spain, and having studied it during several years in 

 the nesting-time. The hen-harrier might do so ; but I 

 would not accept the story of a gamekeeper as sufficing 

 evidence on such points. It is too apt to be tainted. This 

 is an extremely light-built hawk, all feathers and no force, 

 and preys on lizards, frogs, and small birds. 



To me such an act as the destruction of this rare and 

 beautiful bird is nothing less than brutal and selfish. Yet 

 the published notice evoked no protest or remark. Hardly 

 one reader in a thousand knew what a " Montagu's 

 harrier " was ! There were those who vaguely imagined 

 it was some new breed of hound ; others probably 

 concluded that a notable feat had been performed in 

 destroying the creature — -whatever it was. 



The gamekeeper is an utterly hopeless subject. The 

 only chance for these rarer birds lies in the higher intelli- 

 gence of his employer. I wrote to the employer in this 

 case ; but the subject, alas ! was not deemed worthy of a 

 reply. Subsequently Lord William Percy kindly wrote 

 me as follows : — " In the spring of 1905, there was a pair 

 of Montagu's harriers in the park at Alnwick. I wanted 

 a specimen, but spared them in the hope that they might 

 stay to breed there. They left some time in May, and 



