HEN HARRIER. 109 



influence the assumption and changes of plumage in birds, 

 to be hereafter more particularly adverted to. In the 

 present instance, the old male, from his almost uniform ash 

 grey colour as seen in the figure, is called provincially the 

 Dove Hawk and Blue Hawk, and by the more general 

 name of Hen Harrier. The female, called a Ringtail, 

 is brown : a representation of the head of one forms 

 the subject of the vignette, in which, from its spotted 

 appearance, the circular ruff around the face is distinctly 

 seen. 



These birds inhabit flat marshy situations, fens, low 

 moors and commons, partially covered with furze and short 

 bushes. They feed indiscriminately on small mammalia, 

 birds, and reptiles : twenty lizards were found in the sto- 

 mach of one killed near London. They are considered to 

 be particularly destructive to the young of Gallinaceous 

 birds. Their flight, performed apparently without much 

 labour, is easy and buoyant, but not rapid, and generally 

 within a few feet of the surface of the ground, which they 

 appear to examine with great care, making close and dili- 

 gent search for any object of food, and have courage and 

 strength sufficient to pounce upon and kill a Partridge, 

 a Red Grouse, or even a Pheasant. They have been ob- 

 served to hunt the same ground regularly; and a male 

 bird has been seen to examine a large wheat stubble 

 thoroughly, crossing it in various directions, always about 

 the same hour in the afternoon, and for many days in 

 succession. 



The nest is placed on the ground; the materials col- 

 lected to form it are but few, consisting of small sticks and 

 coarse grass : the eggs are four or five in number, white 

 or of a pale skimmed-milk blue, one inch eight lines long 

 by one inch four lines in breadth. The male sits occa- 

 sionally during the period of incubation, and has been shot 



