COMMON HARRIER, 301 



lighter tint than the back, and the colour on the outer 

 webs of the rest gradually fades into white on the la- 

 teral feathers ; the inner webs of all but the two middle 

 white ; there are eight irregular and indistinct bars of 

 a darker grey, and the tips are white. 



Length to end of tail 18 inches, to end of wings 15| ; 

 extent of wings 40 ; wing from flexure 13^ ; tail 9 ; bill 

 filong the ridge l^^^, along the edge of lower mandible 

 I ; tarsus 2}j ; first toe j^^, its claw -^^^ ; second toe ^§, 

 its claw ^^^|; third toe 1/^, its claw -^^; fourth toe ^^, 

 its claw j\. 



Female. — The female, which is much larger than 

 the male, differs so much in external appearance, that 

 she was long considered as of a distinct species. The 

 proportions are similar, but the plumage is considerably 

 softer, the ruff is more distinct, and the feathers on the 

 neck are much more bulky. 



The colours of the bare parts are as in the male, but 

 the iris is yellowish-brown. The general colour of the 

 upper parts is umber-brown, of the lower light yellow- 

 ish, with oblong brown longitudinal markings. The 

 upper part of the head is deep brown, the feathers 

 slightly edged with light yellowish-red ; the anterior 

 part of the forehead, a band over the eye, and the loral 

 space, pale greyish-yellow, the bristle-tips of the latter 

 black. The cheek-feathers are dull brown, edged with 

 yellowish-red; the ruff-feathers light yellowish-red, 

 with a narrow brown central band. The upper hind 

 part, sides and fore part of the neck, the breast and 

 sides, are light reddish-yellow, each feather with an 

 oblong-lanceolate umber-brown mark. Some of the 



