4 THE BIRDS OF BERKS AND BUCKS. 



Marsh Harrier {Circus cEniginosus). Resident 

 throughout the year, but nowhere numerous. It is 

 distributed sparingly in both counties, and is doubt- 

 less often confounded with the Hen Harrier. It 

 was formerly more common than it now is ; and 

 when there was a greater extent of uncultivated 

 heaths and moorland wastes the Marsh Harrier 

 might frequently have been observed sailing in mid- 

 air in search of prey. A few are still to be seen 

 at various seasons in the neighbourhood of Chesham ; 

 and it remains all the year in some favoured locali- 

 ties, which are now, alas ! ' few and far between,' in 

 the two counties. 



The Rev. Bryant Burgess, of Latimer, near Ches- 

 ham, wrote me word of an immature Marsh Harrier, 

 which was killed some years ago at Risborough. 



Hen Harrier (Circus cyanctts). Local names. 

 Ringtail, Buzzard, Moor Buzzard. Resident, but not 

 numerous. A good specimen of this Harrier was 

 preserved by Mr. Hasell, of Bexley Street, Windsor, 

 who told me that it was trapped by one of the royal 

 keepers in Windsor Forest in the year 1855. Another 

 bird of this species — a female — was shot in Windsor 

 Forest in either 1859 or i860, but the exact date 

 has not been recorded. A fine male was shot by a 

 carpenter named Skelton, of Eton, in the year 1857. 

 It was resting upon an elm-tree when he shot it, 

 near the mathematical schools of Eton College. I 

 saw the bird in the possession of Mr. Ferryman, of 



