THE EAGLE, BUZZARD, AND HEN HARRIER. 57 



low, quartering their ground and hovering over 

 a bird hke the httle kestrel, only much 

 nearer the ground. One so terrified some par- 

 tridges while doing this that they let us catch 

 them. Once in the Amatola Mountains we found 

 a low thick bush crowded with poor birds of the 

 thrush tribe, and two harriers hovering over it. 

 These birds let us catch them, and we were 

 cruel enough to throw one up in the air. The 

 hawks were after it directly ; but it turned back 

 and settled at our feet, and we shot the hawk. 

 We do not know if they will eat carrion ; but 

 fancy not, as they were never caught in the 

 traps which caught the buzzard. 



The female was on the ground all the year 

 round, and would come near the houses in the 

 winter ; but the male disappeared every autumn, 

 returning in the spring. It was two years 

 before he was shot, though we put ten shillings 

 on his head. He looks very well in a glass 

 case now, and that is the proper place for all the 

 breed in our opinion. 



