22^ BIRDS. 



Circus, Bechsiein. 



The Harriers differ from the Buzzards in their elevated tarsi, and in a 

 kind of collar on each side of their neck, formed by the tips of the feathers 

 which cover their ears. 



There are three species in France, which, from the variety in their 

 plumage, have been multiplied by the nomenclators. 



F. pygargus, L. ; La Soubuse, Enl. 443 and 480 ; Naum. xxxviii. 

 2, and 39, 1 and 2. Brown above; underneath fawn-coloured, 

 longitudinally spotted with brown ; the rump white. The Hen Har- 

 rier — Falco cyaneus and F. albicans*, Enl. 450; Naura. xxxix. 1; 

 cinereous, with black wing quills, is merely the male in its second 

 year. This species builds on the ground, keeps constantly in the 

 fields, flies near the earth, and towards night hunts rats, young par- 

 tridges, &c. 



F. cineraceus, Montag. ; Le Busard Cendre, Naum. 40 ; Vieill. 

 Galer, pi. 13. More slender than the Soubuse, and with longer 

 wings ; the old male is cinereous ; its primary quills, and a band on 

 the secondary ones, are black ; both male and female, in the second 

 year, are brown above, white beneath, with brownish streaks on the 

 breast ; the whole under-part of the young bird is red. Its habits 

 are much like those of the preceding species, 



F. rufus, L.; La Harpaye, Enl. 470; Naum. 37, 1. Brownish 

 and reddish ; the tail, and primary quills of the wings, cinereous. 

 The Busard du marais, the Marsh Buzzard — Falco ceruginosus, 

 Enl. 424; Naum. 38, brown, with a light fawn colour on the head 

 and breast, is considered as the same bird at a more advanced age ; 

 but some observers pretend it is a diiFerent species. Both of them 

 keep themselves by preference within reach of water, in order to 

 hunt reptilesf . Finally, the 



Serpentarius, Cuv. — Gypogeranus, Illig.% 

 The Messenger, or Secretary, is an African bird of prey, whose 

 tarsi are at least double the length of those of the preceding ones, 

 which caused some naturalists to place it among the Grallatorise, or 



its elevated tarsi, but is deficient in the collar; the transitions between these two di- 

 visions, also, are almost insensible. 



* It is also the F. communis, F. albiis, Frisch, pi. Ixxv, the F. vwntanus, B., the F. 

 griseus, Gm., and also his F. hokemicus. 



N. B. The M. cresserelle of Vieillot has become his genus Ictinia. 



t Add the Acoli, Vaill. Afr. 31 {F. acoli, Sh.);— the Tchoug, Id. 32, and Sonnerat, 

 II. 182 (F. melanoleucos).—F. palustris, Pr. Max. Col. 22.— The Frogeater, Vaill. Afr. 

 28. (F. ranivorus, Sh. — The Busard rom; Vieill. Amer. pi. ix, which this author con- 

 siders as identical with the F. hudsonius, Edw. 107.— The Busard d'ldver (Circus hije- 

 malis), Vieill. Amer. 71, which does not appear to be the F. hiemalis, Wils. IV. xxxv. 

 1 (a). — The Busard ii croupion hlanc. {Circ. curopogistus), Vieill. Amer. 8. — Probably, 

 also, the F. uUginosus, Edw. 291, belongs to this subgenus; but, until the changes of 

 plumage produced by age are ascertained, it will be very difficult to determine its 

 species. 31. Ch. Bonaparte sa^s that the F. uligimms is a young female of the 

 cynneits. 



X M. Vieillot has changed these names into Ophiotueres, Gal. pi. 260. 



i^° {n) The bird figured by Wilson, Vol. IV, pi. xxxv, fig. 1, is the true Falco 

 hijemaUs, Gm. — Eng. Edit. 



