COMMON HARRIER. 311 



lows. Tlie l>ill is blackish-brown, the bases of both 

 mandibles yellow, the iris dark brown, the feet yellow, 

 the claws blackish-brown. The colouring of both sexes 

 is similar in character to that of the adult female. The 

 upper parts of the head and hind neck are deep brown, 

 the feathers edged Avith light brownish-red ; the cheeks 

 are of a similar colour, as are the ruff-feathers, which, 

 however, are paler on the edges. The space anterior 

 to the eye is dusky, a broad band of whitish extends 

 over it from the bill, and there is another over the lower 

 eyelid. The upper parts in general are rich umber- 

 brown, the concealed spots and bands on the scapulars, 

 and a large portion of the edges of the smaller wing- 

 coverts, especially those along the humeral margin, 

 brownish-red ; the primary and secondary quills are 

 slightly edged with brownish-grey, the dark bands on 

 the quills less apparent than in old females, excepting 

 on the inner webs ; the tail is marked with four broad 

 bands of brownish-black, and an equal number of pale 

 red, the terminal band of the latter colour fading into 

 white ; the red bands are brighter on the lateral fea- 

 tJiers, and on the central are obscured with brown. 

 The lower parts are ligljt brownish-red, deeper ante- 

 riorly, all the feathers having a central band of brown, 

 darker on the neck, and gradually fading and becoming 

 narrower behind. The upper tail-coverts are white, 

 with a central lanceolate brown spot. At this age the 

 males may be distinguished from the females by their 

 smaller size, and by having the colours c(msiderably 

 lighter. 



Progress towards MATURtTV — The male, after 



