140 FIELD-STUDIES OF RARER BIRDS 



when gliding, seemingly to mature the way they 

 have already gained. Like Peregrines, too, and 

 indeed, all the birds of prey, Hen-Harriers carry 

 their yellow legs straight out beneath their tail, 

 though periodically one or both are dropped 

 limply. 



Often the male quarters a whole valley without 

 success a fact hardly to be wondered at when we 

 consider the nature of his quarry, which, here, 

 mainly consists of voles, as timorous and cautious 

 animals as you will find anywhere. Cautious they 

 must be, too, for, besides the Harriers, they have 

 to run a daily and nightly gauntlet of many 

 Short-eared Owls. Return to the Harrier : at 

 length, of course, patience is rewarded. Down he 

 drops with sufficient force, one would imagine, to 

 shatter himself on the hard ground. In reality, 

 however, there is no harsh contact with the soil, 

 no rebound at all ; and if your glasses are good, 

 you will see that when he rises there is often a 

 limply-hanging brown roll tightly clutched in his 

 cruel talons. That roll is a field-vole. 



Turn to another picture. At long range you 

 may watch a female Harrier " beating " the vale. 

 As she works up the easy slope to the brae above, 

 a pair of Curlews, which, like Peewits, lose no 

 opportunity of harassing Harriers, have at her. 

 each in turn taking up the attack by repeated and 

 decisive stoops, though they seldom if ever touch 

 her. At each effort the big hawk slips aside, 



