a 7 
CIRCUS RANIVORUS. 15 
however, found in the western portion, for Mr. Andersson says :— 
“TJ do not recollect to have met with this Harrier in Damara or 
Great Namaqua Land: specimens were collected in the Lake-country 
by Mr. James Chapman.” It is nowhere very abundant in the 
lower Zambesi country, according to Dr. Kirk, who observed it in 
the Elephant Marsh on the Shiré River. Mr. Ayres has procured it 
in Natal and Transvaal. He writes: —‘‘A nestling sent to me in 
January was stated to have been taken in the swamp near Potchef- 
stroom.” Mr. Rickard has procured it at Port Elizabeth and East 
London, and throughout the whole colony it may be considered 
plentiful, frequenting marshy places. It feeds chiefly on frogs and 
small aquatic birds, and sometimes fish. The nest is built amongst 
rushes, and is made with the stalks and heaped-up leaves of water- 
plants. Eggs three or four, of’ a dull white: axis, 1/7 10'”’; 
diam., 1/76”. 
The marsh below the Observatory is a favourite breeding-place for 
these birds, and several nests are annually made among the rushes. 
We found it very abundant at Zoetendals Vley, and saw it even in the 
dry Karroo country about Beaufort West. 
At the Berg river it is very common, constructing a large nest of 
flags and rushes on the bent down tops of the rushes which line the 
river banks. On the 11th of September we took ten eggs all fresh 
and unincubated; on returning to the nests a few days after we 
again found many of them re-occupied. ; 
Mr. Henry Buckley’s notes on the eggs are as follows :—“ They 
vary from 1°76 x 1:42 inch, to 1-91 x 1°53, and are of a bluish- 
white colour, faintly marked and stained with brown, which appear 
chiefly nest stains.” 
Adult.—All the upper parts of the body earthy-brown, that is, all 
the visible parts of the feathers; the hidden parts are white on 
either side of the quill. Throat and cheeks thinly sprinkled with 
whitish feathers, with a brown band; lower parts clear-brown, 
slightly mingled with white. On the legs rusty red feathers, edged 
and spotted with white ; wings brown, with transverse white bars 
on the under sides. Tail rufous-brown, and banded. Length, 19”; 
wing, 15”; tail, 9”. 
Young. SNe: throat, and anterior ‘eat of breast deep-brown ; 
lower parts reddish-brown ; shoulders in two shades of brown. Fore 
part of neck and breast white, or reddish-white ; wings deep-brown, 
