388 



away. This bird, though migratory as a rule, appears occasionally 

 to breed in India : eggs believed to belong to this species were 

 obtained by Mr. Ehodes Morgan in the Kurnool district, and 

 other writers have noticed the bird in Northern India in the hot 

 season and rains. Like other Harriers, it makes its nest of grass 

 or straw on the ground or amongst reeds, and lays 4 or 5 eggs, 

 which are either pure white or slightly spotted and measure about 

 2 by 1-5 inches. 



1238. Circus spilonotus. The Eastern Marsh-Harrier. 



Circus spilonotus, Kaup in Jardine's Conti\ Orn. 1850, p. 59 ; 

 Swinhoe, Ibis, 1863, p. 213, pi. v ; Skarpe, Cat. B. M. i, p. 58 ; 

 id. Ibis, 1876, p. 30 ; Gurney, Ibis, 1875, p. 225 ; Hume, S. F. xi, 

 p. 14. 



Coloration. Adult male. Very like old females of C. melano- 

 leucus ; above blackish brown, the feathers of the head and neck 

 with broad white or rufous edges ; ruff indistinct ; back-feathers 

 and wing-coverts with irregular grey or rufescent white spots and 

 patches ; the smaller coverts along the forearm white, sometimes 

 with dark shaft-stripes ; primary- coverts and outer surface of 

 secondaries grey, terminal portion of primaries blackish, bases of 

 all quills white ; upper tail-coverts white, with grey or brown bars ; 

 tail grey above, whitish below, unbarred ; lower parts white with 

 blackish shaft-stripes, broad on the throat and upper breast, narrow 

 or wanting on the abdomen. 



Adult female. Brown above, the feathers throughout with pale 

 rufous edges ; tail-coverts white and rufous ; tail with about six 

 dark cross-bands, which disappear in old individuals ; lower parts 

 buff, with broad rufous-brown shaft-stripes. The quills are dark 

 brown but become greyish in old birds. 



Young birds so closely resemble those of C. ceruginosus as to be 

 indistinguishable at times. The pale head and neck-feathers are 

 always striated in C. spilonotus, but the body, wings, and tail are 

 uniformly brown or variegated with buff on the wing-coverts, back, 

 and breast. Generally, though not invariably, traces of bars will 

 be found on some of the tail-feathers of C. spilonotus, but this 

 occasionally happens in 0. ceruginosus also. 



Length of male 20 ; tail 9-25 ; wing 15-5 ; tarsus 3'5 : tail of 

 female 10 ; wing 16'5 ; tarsus 3'7. 



Distribution. Southern China, extending far inland, it is said, 

 even to Dauria, also the Philippines, Malay Peninsula, and Borneo. 

 A young bird obtained by Capt. Wardlaw Earn say at Toungngoo 

 was referred to this species by Mr. Gurney, but on comparing it 

 with young birds of both this Harrier and C. melanoleucus, I am 

 inclined to assign it to the latter. Hume was convinced he saw 

 C. spilonotus in Manipur, and I have very little doubt he was 

 right. Latterly Mr. T. A. Hauxwell has shot a fine adult male 

 near Moulmein on the Attaran, and has been so good as to send it 

 to me for examination. 



Habits, fyc. Similar to those of C. ceruginosus, but more kite-like. 



