MONTAGU'S HARRIER. 



Circus Monttiffui, YARRELL, 



J'alco hi/emails, PENNANT. 



" ciutraceusi cinerar'uts, and clnerareus, MONTAGU. 



Buteo cineraceus, FLEMING. 



Circus The Greek name of some species of Hawk. 

 Montwj'uOf Montagu. 



I HATE followed Mr. Yarrell in both the Latin and the 

 English denominations of this species, as the previous one 

 has an equal right with it to the descriptive title of 'ash- 

 coloured.' The compliment too of the name is properly 

 claimed for Montagu, the first to discriminate the two species 

 'huic des nominis hujus honorem.' 



Montagu's Harrier occurs in the southern countries of 

 Europe in Hungary, Poland, Silesia, Austria, Dalmatia, 

 Illyria, Italy, Switzerland, Holland, Germany, and France; in 

 Asia, as far east as India, and in Africa. In America it 

 appears to be unknown. 



Different views seem to have been taken as to the numbers 

 of this bird among us. Mr. Hewitson's account seems to 

 me to be the correct one, that 'though at one time more 

 abundant than has been supposed, it is now becoming rare, 

 and exceedingly difficult to procure.' It has been mostly 

 met with in the southern and south-western counties: one 

 in my possession, a young bird, was shot on the western 

 borders of Dorsetshire. In Yorkshire various specimens have 

 been obtained, especially, as might readily be imagined by 

 those who know the locality, on Thome Moor, contiguous to 

 the 'Level of Hatfield Chase.' In Sussex, Mr. Knox says 

 that it has been more often met with than the Hen Harrier. 

 It becomes still less frequent towards the north, but appears 

 to be known in Scotland, in Sutherlandshire, where it breeds 

 near Bonar Bridge, and doubtless in other counties also. In 



