HEN HARRIER. 99 



been observed in the relative length of the quill- feathers : 

 in a female the fourth quill-feather being the longest ; in a 

 male, the third. In the second volume of the Fauna Bore- 

 ali-Americana, by Mr. Swainson and Dr. Richardson, and 

 devoted to Birds, the following note occurs at the bottom of 

 page 90, in reference to the Snowy Owl, " There is some 

 variation in the lengths of the quill-feathers in different spe- 

 cimens. The second, third, and fourth, are obviously longer 

 than the others in all, the second and fourth being nearly 

 equal. The first quill-feather is sometimes longer than the 

 fifth." These notices are here adverted to in order that the 

 relative length of the different quill-feathers in the wings, 

 when referred to in description, or as affording indications of 

 distinction in species, may not be too much relied upon with- 

 out having due regard to the period of the year at which the 

 birds were killed. In this country particularly, a large pro- 

 portion of our cabinet specimens are obtained during autumn, 

 the gun being then in general use, and during which period 

 the quill-feathers will frequently be found not to have at- 

 tained their ultimate relative proportions. 



The vignette represents the head of the Ringtail, as re- 

 ferred to at page 95. 



