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HEN HARRIER. 
WHITE HAWK. DOVE HAWK. BLUE HAWK, (MALE.) 
RINGTAIL, (FEMALE.) 
Circus cyaneus, FLEMING. SELBY. 
Falco cyaneus, MonrTaau. 
“ — torquatus, BRISSON. 
“ pygargus, LINNZUS. 
Circus—The Greek name of some species of Hawk. 
Cyaneus—Blue—blue-coloured. 
Ir is somewhat surprising that Mr. Yarrell should appear 
to give Montagu the credit of determining that the two 
supposed species, the Hen Harrier and the Ringtail, are 
identical, when the fact had been long previously observed 
by Willughby. 
‘It has become known,’ says Yarrell, ‘on account of a sup- 
posed vartiality to some part of the produce of the farm-yard, 
by the more general name of Hen Harrier.’ The Kite and 
the Sparrow-Hawk have, however, an equal claim to the 
distinction. ‘The male,’ says Mr. St. John, ‘is distinguished 
from afar by his nearly white plumage.’ Bewick’s description 
of this bird seems to me, in some particulars to apply to the 
next species. 
The Hen Harrier is widely distributed, being found in the 
low and flat districts of France, Germany, Holland, Scandi- 
navia, Russia, Italy, Turkey, Greece, and other countries of 
Europe; in India, Japan, Asia Minor, Siberia, and other parts 
of Asia; in Africa; and possibly in New Holland, and in 
America; but Selby observes that some doubts still remain 
as to the specific identity of the latter species and ours. 
In this country it is generally dispersed in England, Ire- 
land, and Scotland, though in no part numerous. It is a 
perennial inhabitant of the Hebrides and Orkneys. It seems 
