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HEN HARRIER, 



WHITE HAWK. DOYE HAWK. BLUE HAWK, (MALE.) 

 , (FEMALE.) 



Circus cyaneus, FLEMING. SELBY. 



Falco cyaneus, MONTAGU. 



" torqualus, IhussoN. 



" pygargus, LINNAEUS. 



Circus The Greek name of some species of Hawk. 

 Cyaneus Blue blue- coloured. 



IT is somewhat surprising that Mr. Yarrell should appear 

 to give Montagu the credit of determining that the two 

 supposed species, the Hen Harrier and the Ringtail, are 

 identical, when the fact had been long previously observed 

 by Willughby. 



'It has become known,' says Yarrell, '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 Kite and 

 the Sparrow-Hawk have, however, an equal claim to the 

 distinction. 'The male,' says Mr. St. John, 'is distinguished 

 from afar by his nearly white plumage.' Bewick's description 

 of this bird seems to me, in some particulars to apply to the 

 next species. 



The Hen Harrier is widely distributed, being found in the 

 low and flat districts of France, Germany, Holland, Scandi- 

 navia, Russia, Italy, Turkey, Greece, and other countries of 

 Europe; in India, Japan, Asia Minor, Siberia, and other parts 

 of Asia; in Africa; and possibly in New Holland, and in 

 America; but Selby observes that some doubts still remain 

 as to the specific identity of the latter species and ours. 



In this country it is generally dispersed in England, Ire- 

 land, and Scotland, though in no part numerous. It is a 

 perennial inhabitant of the Hebrides and Orkneys. It seems 



