BIRDS OF PREY. 33 
although individuals in brown plumage are much more 
numerous than the grey-plumaged male. This is, I 
think, easily accounted for. These brown birds, which 
are known as ringtails, are generally considered to be 
females, yet such is not the case, the young males wear- 
ing the livery of the female until they are a year old, 
and not being easily distinguished without dissection. 
Still, the “blue hawk,” as the male is called, is not by 
any means uncommon ; and both male and female being 
considered, and I fear not unjustly, as very destructive 
to game, are visited, whenever opportunity offers, with 
condign punishment, and their once buoyant forms are 
often seen nailed up in terrorem amongst others of 
their order, in grim companionship with stoats, weasels, 
polecats, and other vermin. 
The ringtail, as is usual in birds of prey, is much 
larger than her mate, and far bolder in her search for 
prey, not hesitating to frequent the neighbourhood of 
dwellings for the chance of picking up a stray chicken 
In 1857 I was walking past Lord Manvers’ poultry-yard 
at Perlthorpe, which adjoins Thoresby Park, when a 
ringtail came sailing over, evidently intent on plunder. 
Three times she soared round the large inclosure, which 
contained several hundred head of poultry, and although 
it is bounded by a high wall, and surrounded by the 
dwellings of the keepers and others, she was only 
deterred from carrying off a fowl by the presence of 
some of the men. 
All parts of the forest are frequented by them, though 
they seem to prefer the more open portions. Here, how- 
ever, their habit of seizing their food on the ground often 
leads to their destruction, as they are easily trapped, and 
I have had them frequently brought tome when thus taken. 
D 
