128 MONTAGU'S HAKEIER. 



Ireland it is believed that one if not more specimens have 

 occurred, but none have been preserved. 



The flight of this species resembles that of the Hen 

 Harrier; but, Selby says, that it is more rapid and more 

 strikingly buoyant. 



Its food consists of small birds, such as larks and finches; 

 as also lizards, frogs, and other reptiles, and even the eggs 

 of small birds. 



Nidification commences in March or April; incubation in 

 May; and the young are hatched in June or July, and 

 moult in August. 



The nest is built on the ground, generally in some tuft of 

 furze, and is composed of grass, sedge, rushes, or flags. 



The eggs are usually four or five in number, rarely six; 

 they are white, or white with a cast of light blue, and in 

 some instances spotted with brown. 



Male; weight, between nine and ten ounces; length, about 

 one foot five or six inches; bill, dusky black, the tip slender 

 and very acute. Cere, dull yellow ; iris, yellow ; bristles almost 

 hide the cere; head, neck, and nape, light ash-coloured; the 

 ruff is but obscurely visible. Chin, throat, and breast, light 

 ash-coloured on the upper half, white on the lower, the latter 

 streaked down the shafts of the feathers with ferruginous. 

 Back, ash-coloured, rather darker or brownish on the upper part. 



The wings expand to the width of three feet eight or nine 

 inches, and extend, when closed, beyond the tail. Greater 

 and lesser wing coverts, ash-coloured; primaries, nearly black, 

 greyish at the tips; the third quill is the longest in the 

 wing, being an inch longer than the second, the first is a 

 little longer than the fifth; the first are the darkest, and 

 gradually become lighter; secondaries, ash-coloured, the latter 

 crossed by three dusky black bars, of which only one is 

 visible above when the wings are closed; tertiaries, ash- 

 coloured; larger and lesser under wing coverts, white, barred 

 with light ferruginous. Middle feathers of the tail, ash- 

 coloured, the outer ones white, barred with ferruginous; 

 underneath it is dull white, barred with dusky grey; under 

 tail coverts, as the lower half of the breast. Legs, slender, 

 yellow, and feathered in front about a fourth down; toes, 

 slender and yellow; claws, black. 



Female; weight, between thirteen and fourteen ounces; 

 length, one foot six to one foot seven inches; bill, nearly 

 black; cere, dull yellow; iris, yellow, over the eye is a streak 



