THE HEN HAEKIEE. 



91 



One of the most notable peculiarities of tliis strauge bird, is the manner in which it 

 runs and walks. Wliile young its mode of walking is ungraceful in the extreme, and 

 can but be characterised as a hobble. When it has attained adult age, however, its gait, 

 although rather odd, and like a person walking on stilts, is yet easy and unconstrained, but 

 when tlie bird puts forth its speed, it runs -with a swiftness so remarkable that the Arab 

 has given it tlie name of Ferras Seytan, or devil's horse. This astonishing speed is 

 probaljly iiseful in carr}'ing out the great business of its life, and in attacking or avoiding 

 the onset of its poison-bearing 

 enemies. The nest of the Secre- 

 tary is built on the summit of a — «^ ^=^ 

 lofty tree, and contains two or 

 three large white eggs. 



The ordinary length of the 

 adult Secretary bird is about three 

 feet, and its colour is almost wholly 

 a slaty-grey. The peculiar feathers 

 M'hich form the crest are black, as 

 are the primaries and the feathers 

 of the thigh. There is a lighter 

 patcli towards the abdomen. The 

 tail is black with the exception 

 of the two central rectrices, which 

 are grey with a white tip and a 

 broad black bar towards their ex- 

 tremities. 



We now an-ive at the Harriers, 

 probably so called because they 

 " liarry" and persecute the game. 

 Several species of this genus are 

 found in England, the most com- 

 mon of which is the Hen Har- 

 rier. 



The Harrier may be readily 

 distinguished from the otlier 

 hawks by the manner in which 

 the feathers radiate arovmd the 

 eyes, forming a kind of funnel- 

 shaped depression, somewhat simi- 

 lar to but not so perfect as that 

 of the owl. This structure is 

 thought to be serviceable to the 

 bird in giving it a wide range of 

 vision in its hunting excursions. 

 The flight of the Harrier is very 

 low, .seldom lieing more than a 

 few yards above the ground, and 

 as the bird flies along it beats 



every bush, and pries into every little covert in search of prey. There are few of the 

 smaller animals that do not fall victims to the Hen Harrier, whicli is always ready to 

 pick up a field-mouse, a lizard, a small sna.ke, a newt, or a bird, and will even pounce 

 upon so large a bird as a partridge or pheasant. Sometimes it sits on a stone or small 

 hillock, and from that post keeps np a vigilant watch on the surrounding country, sweeping 

 off as soon as it observes indications of any creature on which it may feed. 



The flight of the Hen Harrier, altliough it is not remarkable for its power, is yet very 

 swift, easy, and gliding, and as the bird quarters the ground after its prey, is remarkably 



HEN HARKIER.— Cfrais cydvni.'. 



