188 THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 



again, thinking at the time it would be easy to obtain a better; 

 but although this bird, unfailingly recognisable during flight by 

 the peculiar form of its tail, has been seen a few times since, all 

 attempts to kill another example have hitherto failed. 



The nesting range of this bird extends from north-west Africa, 

 through south and central Europe as far as the Lena. It has 

 not yet been observed in Norway and Sweden, but has been met 

 with in Russia as far north as Archangel. Rohweder notes it as of 

 very rare occurrence in the south and south-east of Holstein, and 

 in England it has only been shot once. 



24. Marsh Harrier [ROHRWEIHE]. 

 FALCO RUFUS, Linn. 1 



Heligolandish : Lung-beaned hoafk = Long-legged Hawk. 



Falco rufus. Naumann, i. 378. 



Marsh Harrier. Dresser, v. 415. 



Busard harpaye. Temminck, Manuel, i. 69, iii. 39. 



This species, also, belongs to those occurring very rarely in 

 Heligoland; though there seems to be no particular reason for 

 this, as it occurs as a common breeding bird in the reed-marshes 

 of Holstein on the west. I have only once received an old male, 

 thirty-nine years ago. Later, three young summer birds were shot 

 here. The latter made their appearance at the end of August, the 

 old male bird on the 6th of October 1848. 



This Harrier is a resident breeding bird from western Europe 

 to central Asia. On the north it extends only a short distance 

 beyond the Baltic. In Norway only isolated examples have been 

 met with, but in southern Sweden scattered individuals have 

 been found nesting. 



25. Hen Harrier [KORNWEIHE], 

 FALCO CYANEUS, Linn. 2 



Heligolandish : Blii hoafk = Blue Haivk. 



Falco pygargus. Naumann, i. 391, xiii. 151 ; also Blasius, 



Nachtrage, 29. 



Hen Harrier. Dresser, v. 431. 



Busard St. Martin. Temminck, Manuel, i. 72, iii. 41. 



During all the time I have been collecting, only three old males 

 of this species have been shot, also an old female, and two or 



1 Circus ceruginosus (Linn.). 2 Circus cyaneus, (Linn.). 



