28 falconidjE. 



157. Hex-Harrier. Circus cyntieus (Linnaeus). Resident, but fast 

 decreasing. 



Outer web of fifth primary notched. 



Adult male. Pale slate-grey above ; throat and chest bluish ash ; 

 upper tail-coverts and underparts below centre of breast white. 



Female. Above brown ; hind neck streaked with whitish ; below 

 whitish brown ; breast streaked with dark brown ; tail brown, with five 

 bauds of darker brown. 



Young. Like female, but marked with rufous on back ; and the bars 

 on the tail are rufous. Length 21| inches. 



158. MoNTAGir's Harrier. Circus cmeraceus (Montagu), Spring to 

 autumn ; occasionally allowed to nest. 



Outer web of Jifih primary entire. Notch on inner web of the first 

 and outer web of the second primary an inch beyond the tip of the 

 primary-coverts . 



Adult male. Above bluish grey ; throat and chest ashy grey. Axil- 

 laries, flanks, belly, and thighs white, with rufous streaks. One black 

 band across secondaries visible when wings are closed. 



Female. Above brown ; below buffy white, striped with russet. 



Young. General colour dark chocolate - brown, lightest below. 

 Length 18-19 inches. 



159. Common Buzzard. Buteo vidgarls, Leach. Eesident, but fast 

 decreasing. 



Varies so much in plumage as to defy description. Legs and toes 

 short, and bare of feathers ; legs about 3 inches long. 



Very old birds are sometimes very dark bluish black above, and only 

 slightly marked with light markings on breast. 



Adidts. Tail brown, barred with twelve or thirteen bands of darker 

 brown. 



Young. Upper breast white, with only a few s])ots ; throat brown, 

 with narrow white streaks ; tail ashy brown, crossed with ten bars of 

 darker brown. Length 20-23 inches. 



160. EouGH-LEGGED BuzzARD. Buteo lagopus* (J. F. Graelin). 

 Winter visitor. 



Varies in plumage nearly as much as Common Buzzard. 



Legs covered with feathers in front to the toes, as in true Eagles. 



Adults. Crown whitish or buffy white, with brown patches on each 

 feather ; above deep brovA'u, marked with white and rufous : basal two- 

 thirds of tail white, remaiuder brown, and a broad black band tipped 

 with white. 



Young. Less white in plumage ; the underparts striped, and the tail 

 has more brown on it. AVhen flying overhead the whigs appear light- 

 coloured, with one dark patch on each wing. Length 23-20 inches. 



* Eecords of this bird liaving bred in England are utterly untrustworthj- 



