HEN HARRIEE. 123 



to frequent the lower lands in the winter, and the higher 

 in the summer. 



The Hen Harrier attaches itself to open wastes, downs, 

 and commons, wide moors, fens, and marshy situations. It 

 appears to roost only on the ground, and is easily trapped. 



Its ilight is low, but light and buoyant, though not very 

 swift. Sometimes it hovers in the air for a short time, some- 

 what in the manner of the Kestrel: again it sails on motionless 

 pinions, but generally with quick pulsations of the air. Before 

 commencing the nest, both birds may be seen soaring about 

 and sporting in the air: occasionally they do so at a con- 

 siderable elevation, wheeling in circles. Its attitude when 

 settled, is nearly erect, and it generally selects some little 

 eminence to alight on. 



It beats its hunting grounds with regularity, both of plan 

 and time, and with careful investigation. Game, both old 

 and young curlews, partridges, pheasants, fowls, lapwings, 

 buntings, larks, snipes, stonechats, and other larger and smaller 

 birds, leverets, rabbits, rats, mice, and other small animals, 

 lizards, vipers, snakes, and frogs, and occasionally dead fish 

 compose its food, and all these it pounces on on the ground. 

 If it does chase any thing in the air, it does not seize it 

 there, but drives it first to the earth. One, however, has 

 been seen flying off with a grouse. Mr. Thompson relates of 

 another as follows: 'A sportsman having killed a snipe, was 

 in the act of reloading his gun, when the Hawk sweeping 

 quickly past him, made a stoop to carry off the snipe, and 

 when just seizing the bird, was itself brought down by the 

 second barrel.' No fewer than twenty lizards were found in 

 one which was killed near London. In one kept in confine- 

 ment, the upper bill grew so much hooked as almost to prevent 

 the bird from feeding; but by cutting half an inch off it, the 

 difficulty was removed. 



The note is loud and clear, and resembles in some degree 

 that of the Kestrel. 



The nest, which is built on open wastes, and frequently in 

 a furze cover, and placed on or near the ground, is composed 

 of sticks rudely put together, sedge, reeds, flags, and other 

 coarse materials. It is made of considerable height, as much 

 as a foot and a half; perhaps as a safeguard against flood. 

 One has been known thus raised to the height of four feet 

 perhaps a second story had been added to a former tenement. 

 The male assists the female occasionally in the task of incu- 



