FALCONIDA\—HARRIERS. 149 
are washed with grey on outer webs; tail-feathers grey; throat 
and chest buff, boldly marked on lower part of latter with dark 
brown ; rest of under parts dark brown, washed with ferru- 
ginous; bill bluish-slate colour ; legs and cere yellow; irides pale 
yellowish. Length 19 to 23 inches; culmen 1°3 ; wing 15 to 
16 ;,tail g to 105; tarsus 3:3 10 3°45. Female larger than 
the male. 
Young in first plumage: Almost uniform chocolate- 
brown, tinged, especially on upper tail-coverts and under parts, 
with paler brown. The yellow on head, neck and throat is 
assumed during the second year. 
Distribution : Resident throughout most of Europe, except 
in the extreme north, also found across Asia to Japan and in 
many parts of Africa. 
Habitat: Open, marshy country, especially where water- 
fowl abound. 
Note.—This species is subject to much variation in colour. 
‘ 
HEN HARRIER. 
Circus cyaneus (Lz). 
Adult Male: Upjer parts ash-grey, marked on nape with 
brown ; wing quills blackish ; secondaries chiefly white on 
inner webs; upper tail-coverts pure white ; //roat and chest 
grey ; rest of under parts white; bill and claws black ; cere, 
legs and irides yellow. Length 18 inches ; culmen 1°15 ; wing 
13°5; tail 9; tarsus 2°7. 
Adult Female: Somewhat larger than male; head and 
neck buff, the latter tinged with rufous and both heavily 
streaked with brown, especially on crown ; neck-ruff distinct : 
general appearance of upper parts deep umber-brown ; some of 
wing-coverts broadly margined with rufous-buff ; upper tail- 
coverts white ; tail-feathers dark brown, central pair broadly 
barred transversely with greyish-brown, and outer ones with 
rufous-buff, all rectrices pale tipped; under parts buff, streaked 
chiefly on throat with brown ; irides yellowish-brown. 
Young: Resemble adult female, but are more rufous. 
especially on the tail-feathers and under parts, and the stripes 
on breast are broader and of a reddish-brown. Young males 
are rather less rufous than young femaies. 
