nOTES 



55 



"HEN-HARRIER" NESTING IN SURREY. 



An article in the " Field " of December 21st, 1907 (p. 1109) 

 describes the nesting of a Montagu's Harrier in Surrey. The 

 article, which is signed " T. F.," gives details of a Harrier's 

 nest, which is undoubtedly the same as that referred to as a 

 jH^e/i-Harrier's nest in the article by Messrs. Mouritz and Ben- 

 tham, published in our January number (see page 237). We 

 have been at great pains to discover whether the identifica- 

 tion, as stated in this Magazine, was correct, or that by the 

 writer in the " Field." 



We regret very much, and we are sure that the authors of 

 the article in question regret no less, that the readers of 

 British Birds have been misinformed, and that the nest 

 described and photographed was, without any doubt, that of 

 a Montagu's Harrier (Circus cineraceus). 



The following is a summary of the evidence which has 

 led us to this conclusion. 



Messrs. Mouritz and Bentham have been in correspondence 

 with the writer in the " Field," who concealed his identity no 

 doubt because he took two eggs from the nest, and they are 

 satisfied that the nest described by " T. F. " and the nest 

 examined by themselves is one and the same. 



Messrs. Mouritz and Bentham identified the male bird, 

 which they saw repeatedly, as a Hen-Harrier, owing to the 

 absence (apparently) of streaks on the abdomen, and owing to 

 the absence (apparently) of a dark bar on the secondaries. 

 The author of the "Field" article describes the male as very 

 pale, and he could distinguish no streaks on the abdomen, but 

 he noticed the dark bar on the secondaries. Apparently 

 none of the observers had an opportunity of seeing the upper 

 side of the male, had they done so the lack of a white patch 

 on the rump would have decided at once that it was a 

 Montagu's Harrier. 



It is only fair to our authors to state that Mr. Mouritz had 

 seen a pair of birds at this place, and identified them as Hen- 

 Harriers long before the nest was found, viz., on March 17th. 

 The female of this pair was shot on March 19th, and is un- 

 doubtedly a i/^e?! -Harrier. The male then went away, and, as 

 our authors concluded, returned with another mate ; but 

 what really happened was that their place was taken by a 

 pair of Montagu's Harriers, 



