BIRDS OF PREY. 33 



although individuals in brown plumage are much more 

 numerous than the grey-plumaged male. This is, I 

 think, easily accounted for. These brown birds, which 

 are known as ringtails, are generally considered to be 

 females, yet such is not the case, the young males wear- 

 ing the livery of the female until they are a year old, 

 and not being easily distinguished without dissection. 

 Still, the "blue hawk," as the male is called, is not by 

 any means uncommon ; and both male and female being 

 considered, and I fear not unjustly, as very destructive 

 to game, are visited, whenever opportunity offers, with 

 condign punishment, and their once buoyant forms are 

 often seen nailed up in terrorem amongst others of 

 their order, in grim companionship with stoats, weasels, 

 polecats, and other vermin. 



The ringtail, as is usual in birds of prey, is much 

 larger than her mate, and far bolder in her search for 

 prey, not hesitating to frequent the neighbourhood of 

 dwellings for the chance of picking up a stray chicken. 

 In 1857 I was walking past Lord Manvers' poultry-yard 

 at Perlthorpe, which adjoins Thoresby Park, when a 

 ringtail came sailing over, evidently intent on plunder. 

 Three times she soared round the large inclosure, which 

 contained several hundred head of poultry, and although 

 it is bounded by a high wall, and surrounded by the 

 dwellings of the keepers and others, she was only 

 deterred from carrying off a fowl by the presence of 

 some of the men. 



All parts of the forest are frequented by them, though 

 they seem to prefer the more open portions. Here, how- 

 ever, their habit of seizing their food on the ground often 

 leads to their destruction, as they are easily trapped, and 

 I have had them frequently brought to me when thus taken. 



D 



