HAWKS AND HAWK-LIKE BIRDS. 163 



cry ia uttered continuously with frantic iteration 

 whilst the bird circles in hovering flight above. 



KESTREL 14 to 15} inches ; also sometime! a brwdw oo 



cliffs, bat distinguishable by its frequently stationary, 



hovering flight. 

 HOBBY 12 to 14 inches ; most like the Peregrin* of all 



Hawks, but notably unaller, a neater in wood*, and a 



preyer upon small birds and insect*. A summer risitor. 

 MERLIN 11 to 12J inches ; often met on moon behind eliflk, 



but much smaller. 

 SPARROW-HAWK 13 to 15} inches ; a neater in and a 



prowler beside woods, preying on small birds; 



short and blunt. 



HEN-HARRIER. Plate 75. Length, male, 20 

 inches. Upper parts clear bluish -gray, becoming 

 white at the root of the tail, the tail itself duller 

 gray; large outer wing -feathers black; face and 

 under parts white, the latter washed with blue-gray 

 on the throat and breast ; thighs plain white ; under 

 sides of the wings conspicuous by the contrast of the 

 black outer and the light inner wing-feathers ; bill 

 dark and hooked; feet yellow. Female: 22 inches. 

 Brown above, becoming white at the root of the tail, 

 latter having five cross-bars ; region about the eye 

 whitish ; under parts warm buff, whiter towards the 

 tail, with heavy, detached, longitudinal, dark streaks ; 

 the long outer wing-feathers, as seen from below, dark 

 brown, and the short inner ones with dark cross- 

 bars. Both sexes have the Owl -like frill of feathers 

 at the neck. Resident 



Eggs. 46, usually plain bluish- white, bat occa- 

 sionally with some yellowish or rusty-brown blotches ; 

 l-S^l-45 inch (plate 128). 



