266 IN BIRD-LAND 



Harrier is one to be mentioned. Although it is 

 never a continous resident in this country, a pair or 

 two occasionally come over to our shores to breed 

 in East Anglia, but the eggs are seldom allowed to 

 remain until they are hatched ; and it is also most 

 probable that the birds themselves never return to 

 their winter quarters. 



One was seen by us on one occasion carrying a 

 rat in its talons, so that it may have been success- 

 ful in rearing its young, or it may have been 

 carrying food to its sitting mate. Four days' later, 

 while sitting in a boat, I saw one of this species 

 flying towards me while chasing two small birds ; 

 but these quickly outdistanced their pursuer, and 

 the Harrier turned and passed quite close to me, 

 and then flew slowly over a large reed -bed, keeping 

 just above the surface, no doubt hoping to find 

 nests, as they feed for a good part on the eggs of 

 smaller birds. It passed immediately over a Reed- 

 Bunting's nest which I knew of, and with a field- 

 glass I could see the two Buntings rise from their 

 quarters and fly some distance, then settling on the 

 reeds ; and happily their nest was passed by the 

 destroyer without being molested. 



As an instance of the way this Harrier feeds its 

 sitting mate, the following, which I take from 

 Mr. J. H. Gurney's "Ornithological Notes from 



