MARSH HARRIER. 315 



observed at Spurn, was reported in October 1888, both on 

 the sand-hills and in the warren at Kilnsea, either sitting in 

 the bents or in flight. On the wing it was described as looking 

 as big as one of the large gulls, and was said to have tufts of 

 feathers on the head." 



MARSH HARRIER 

 Circus aeruginosus (Z.). 



Casual visitant, of very rare occurrence. Formerly nested in one 

 or two localities. 



Under the old name of " Moor Buzzard " the following 

 mention is made of this species in Miller's " History of Don- 

 caster," published in 1804 : — " This bird is very common in 

 our morasses, moors, etc., and is one of the most voracious 

 of its tribe. It is a well attested fact that nine, nearly full 

 grown, moor game {Tetrix and Rubra) were taken out of a 

 nest one day and eight the next morning." 



Thomas Allis, in 1844, wrote as follows : — 



Circus rufus. — Marsh Harrier — Sometimes visits the moors near 

 Sheffield ; not uncommon near Doncaster. About forty years ago, 

 H. Reid says that seven or eight were obtained in a season from Hatfield 

 Moor and Carr side ; rarely met with near Hebden Bridge. Arthur 

 Strickland says that the total destruction of all the large beds of whins 

 in his neighbourhood [Bridlington] has nearly banished this bird, 

 before which it used occasionally to breed there. He says " Mr. 

 Yarrell appears to me to be wrong in stating that the young bird is 

 without the yellow caul on the head ; all that I have seen, even from 

 the nest, have had it strongly and distinctly marked, even more so than 

 the old birds, as all the rest of the plumage is a dark brown and much 

 more distinct from the yellow than in older ones ; but this is a distinctly 

 migratory species, and, as soon as the breeding season is over, they 

 quit this country and totally lose the yellow on the head and other 

 parts ; in this state it is of very rare occurrence in this country ; one 

 specimen in my collection, killed some years ago in Cambridgeshire, 

 being the only one I remember ever to have seen, but early in the spring, 

 when they first come over, they may often be met with with the yellow 

 caul only partly developed, which soon becomes perfect, and in old 

 specimens extends over the breast, shoulders, and parts of the back. 



