HEN-HARRIER. 135 



lat. 68 N. ; and in Finland it seems to be spread throughout 

 the country. In Eussia and Siberia it is said, by Pallas, to 

 be a very common bird, especially in the desert of Great 

 Tartary. Later travellers describe it as breeding in Dauuria, 

 and Dr. von Middendorff obtained one still further to the 

 north-east, on the river Amgar, whose waters flow into the 

 Lena. It is said to occur in Japan, but Prof. Schlegel 

 refers specimens from that country to the American repre- 

 sentative species, of which more will be said presently. Mr. 

 Swinhoe states that it occurs in China as far south as Canton. 

 In India it has only been found as a winter- visitant to Boo- 

 tan, Nepaul, Kumaon and the north-western Himalayas, 

 though perhaps extending to the plains of the Punjaub. It 

 has been obtained at Erzeroom, and Canon Tristram says it is 

 common and resident in the open country of Palestine. In 

 North-east Africa Dr. von Heuglin found it to be a winter- 

 visitant only, and it goes as far south as Kordofan and Abys- 

 sinia. It occurs in Algeria and Eastern Morocco. Return- 

 ing to Europe it is common in Spain, but chiefly in winter, 

 according to Mr. Saunders, and in France is sufficiently well 

 known as the Busard Saint Martin. Within the limits thus 

 traced it occurs very generally. 



Whether the Hen- Harrier of America be really identical 

 with that of the Old World is a point that has been long de- 

 bated, but may be now regarded as satisfactorily settled. The 

 American bird, Circus hudsonius, can be recognized by its 

 longer tarsi, and the adult male has the plumage of the lower 

 parts constantly marked with more or less numerous brownish 

 spots. Occasionally, but very rarely, the adult male of (7. 

 ci/aneus exhibits, as Mr. Stevenson has remarked, slight 

 dashes of red on the lower parts of the body and under tail- 

 coverts, in this respect somewhat resembling that of the 

 species next to be described, but not to be mistaken for the 

 American bird. 



The whole length of the male is about eighteen inches ; 

 the bill bluish-black ; the cere and irides yellow ; the radiat- 

 ing hairs on the lore, black ; the whole of the head, neck, 

 back, wing-coverts, wings and upper surface of the tail, ash- 



