THE MARSH HARRIER. 3! 



the pale colour is sometimes all over the head, and 

 a patch of the same on the scapulars. But the most 

 usual is that of the first described. Mr. Selby men- 

 tions one which he kept which had " the throat, 

 bastard wing, four quill-feathers, and outer tail-feathers 

 white." The bill is bluish-black, the feet yellow, 

 and the claws sharp, but not very strong. The usual 

 length of the female is from 22 to 24 inches, and the 

 male is several inches less. Mr. Gould, in his "Birds 



THE MARSH HARRIER. 



of Europe," states his opinion that most of the marsh 

 harriers found in Britain are young birds, and that 



