THE COMMON HARRIKR. BIRDS. THE AUSTRALIA* HARRIER. 



263 



easy, and performed apparently with but little labour, 

 so that it is admirably adapted for the peculiar mode 

 of seeking prey adopted by the bird, as already de- 



scribed, which often necessitates its being on the wing 

 for hours together. Its prey consists of small mam- 

 malia, such as young rabbits, leverets, rats, and mice, 



Fig. 



The Common Harrier (Circus cyaneus). 



the smaller birds, and reptiles ; upon these it pounces 

 down suddenly when it spies them amongst the herbage 

 on the ground, and its courage and strength are such 

 that it does not hesitate to attack a partridge or grouse, 

 and has even been known to seize upon a pheasant. 

 Sometimes, but rarely, it will pursue birds upon the 

 wing, probably when they rise from under its stoop. 



The nest of the Harrier is usually placed upon the 

 ground, and rudely built with a few small sticks and 

 pieces of coarse grass. In this primitive cradle the 

 female deposits four or five eggs, which are of a white 

 or very faint bluish colour. 



THE MARSH HARRIER (Circus (eruginosus), which 

 is also frequently termed the Moor Buzzard, is another 

 British species, rather larger than the preceding, the 

 male usually measuring twenty-one and the female 

 twenty-three inches in length. It is pretty generally 

 distributed in this country, but by no means common 

 in any locality ; it occurs all over the continent of 

 Europe, in the north of Africa, and in Asia as far 

 as India. In its habits it agrees very closely with 

 the common Harrier, but it is said to prefer preying 

 upon aquatic birds whence probably its name of the 

 Duck Hawk and also occasionally to capture fish. 



MONTAGUE'S HARRIER (Circus cineraceus), a third 

 British species, is a little smaller than the common 

 harrier, from which it may also be easily distinguished 

 by the great length of its wings, which reach quite to 



the extremity of the tail. The difference of colour in 

 the two sexes is as great as in the common species. 

 In this bird the radiating feathers of the face are more 

 distinct than in the two preceding species, giving it 

 a still more owl-like aspect, but the habits of the birds 

 are precisely similar. 



THE INDIAN HARRIER (Circus Swainsoni), which 

 is found abundantly in many parts of India, presents 

 a considerable resemblance in its habits to its English 

 relatives, which, indeed, are also met with in the plains 

 of Hindostan. It rarely perches on a tree, but fre- 

 quents open places and cultivated ground, beating over 

 the corn fields, and preying upon lizards, locusts, and 

 mice, or occssionally on small birds. 



THE BLACK AND WHITE HARRIER (Circus mela- 

 noleucos), another Indian species, frequents low, marshy, 

 and inundated districts, feeding, in company with 

 wading birds, on frogs, mollusca, and even on fishes. 



THE AUSTRALIAN HARRIER (Circus assimilis), 

 which is nearly allied to our Marsh Harrier, is an 

 abundant species in New South Wales and the south- 

 ern part of New Holland ; it also occurs, though less 

 numerously, in Van Diemen's Land. In its habits it 

 resembles the Marsh Harrier, evincing a great par- 

 tiality for marshy grounds and the vicinity of lagoons. 

 Its prey consists of reptiles, and small mammalia and 

 birds. Amongst the colonists this bird is known as 

 the Swamp Hawk. 



