OWLS AND DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY. 359 
up-country. The species ranges over Eastern Europe, and 
practically the whole of Asia and Africa, breeding in the north 
and wintering in the south. 
Habits, d&:¢—All our Harriers have much the same habits, 
which are described in my remarks on the group. The present 
species frequents swamps, paddy fields, and stretches of grass 
land near water. At times large numbers of these birds and 
the next species congregate and roost in some favourite spot 
ina swamp. It does not appear to breed in the Island. 
CIRCUS CINERACEUS (Blanford, Vol. III., p. 383 ; 
Legge, p. 12). 
Montagu’s Harrier. 
Description. — Male: Head, neck, breast, and upper 
plumage dark ash-gray, with a bluish tinge ; back, scapulars, 
and tertiaries, except in old birds, tinged with brown ; upper 
tail coverts white at the base, ashy-gray at the ends, and 
sometimes with bands of the same colour ; first six primaries 
almost black with slight gray tips, which increase in size on 
the inner primaries ; secondaries gray with two black cross 
bands ; middle tail feathers unbarred frosted gray, remainder 
whitish with bars of dusky gray, which become rufous brown 
on the outermost feathers. Abdomen, under tail coverts, and 
thighs whitish with rufous shaft-stripes ; wing lining white 
with a few chestnut patches. 
Females resemble those of the preceding species, only the 
ruff is not so distinct, the upper parts are darker, and the 
lower parts are dull rufous, or buff, with rufous brown shaft- 
stripes. 
In young birds the ruff is streaked, and is less distinct than 
the conspicuous, clear-coloured ruff of the young Pale Harrier. 
At all stages the present species may be distinguished by the 
characters noted in the key. 
Bill black ; cere greenish-yellow ; iris yellow in the male, 
brownish-yellow in the female ; legs and feet yellow. 
Male: length 17; wing 14°75; tail 9; tarsus 2°25; 
mid-toe without claw 1-1; bill from gape 1:05. 
Females larger: length 19; wing 15-25 
