102 FALCON1D.E. 



influence the assumption and changes of plumage in birds, 

 to be hereafter more particularly adverted to. In the 

 present instance, the old male, from his almost uniform ash 

 grey colour as seen in the figure, is called provincially the 

 Dove Hawk and Blue Hawk ; and on account of a sup- 

 posed partiality to some part of the produce of the farm- 

 yard, by the more general name of Hen Harrier. The 

 female, called a Ringtail, is brown : a representation of 

 the head of one forms the subject of the vignette, in 

 which, from its spotted appearance, the circular ruff around 

 the face is distinctly seen. 



These birds inhabit flat marshy situations, fens, low 

 moors and commons, partially covered with furze and short 

 bushes. They feed indiscriminately on small mammalia, 

 birds, and reptiles : twenty lizards were found in the sto- 

 mach of one killed near London. They are considered to 

 be particularly destructive to the young of Gallinaceous 

 birds. Their flight performed apparently without much 

 labour, is easy and buoyant, but not rapid, and generally 

 within a few feet of the surface of the ground, which they 

 appear to examine with great care, making close and di- 

 ligent search for any object of food, and have courage and 

 strength sufficient to pounce upon and kill a Partridge, 

 a Red Grouse, or even a Pheasant. They have been ob- 

 served to hunt the same ground regularly ; and a male 

 bird has been seen to examine a large wheat stubble 

 thoroughly, crossing it in various directions, always about 

 the same hour in the afternoon, and for many days in 

 succession. 



The nest is placed on the ground ; the materials col- 

 lected to form it are but few, consisting of small sticks and 

 coarse grass : the eggs are four or five in number, white 

 or of a pale skimmed-milk blue, one inch eight lines long 



