FALCONID. 33 
also seen some specimens of this bird at Spring 
Grove, near which place I believe they were shot. 
One also was caught in a trap in the beginning of 
June, 1864, at Brean Down, near Weston-super- 
Mare, as recorded by the Rev. Murray A. Mathew, 
in the ‘ Zoologist’ for 1864, p. 9209. 
The habits and food of this species are the same 
in all respects as those of the Hen Harrier. The 
nest also, like that of that bird, is placed on the 
ground, generally amongst furze.* 
In appearance, however, it may easily be distin- 
guished from the Hen Harrier by its more slender 
form, for though equal in length it is not nearly so 
heavy, the average weight of Montagu’s Harrier 
being about nine and a quarter ounces, that of the 
Hen Harrier about thirteen ounces. ‘The wings are 
also longer in reference to the end of the tail, and 
the third quill-feather of the wing is much more 
pointed.t The length of the adult male is about 
seventeen inches; that of the male Hen Harrier 
about eighteen inches. ‘The beak is nearly black; 
the cere greenish yellow: irides bright yellow; the 
head, the whole of the neck and all the upper parts 
bluish grey; the secondaries with three dark bars 
across, the last of which is visible when the wing is 
closed; primaries almost black; upper surface of 
_ the central tail-feathers bluish grey; side tail- 
* Yarrell, vol. 1., p. 116. etdes po LIS, 
