FALCONID^E. 33 



also seen some specimens of this bird at Spring 

 Grove, near which place I believe they were shot. 

 One also was caught in a trap in the beginning of 

 June, 1864, at Brean Down, near Weston-super- 

 Mare, as recorded by the Kev. Murray A. Mathew, 

 in the * Zoologist' for 1864, p. 9209. 



The habits and food of this species are the same 

 in all respects as those of the Hen Harrier. The 

 nest also, like that of that bird, is placed on the 

 ground, generally amongst furze.* 



In appearance, however, it may easily be distin- 

 guished from the Hen Harrier by its more slender 

 form, for though equal in length it is not nearly so 

 heavy, the average weight of Montagu's Harrier 

 being about nine and a quarter ounces, that of the 

 Hen Harrier about thirteen ounces. The wings are 

 also longer in reference to the end of the tail, and 

 the third quill-feather of the wing is much more 

 pointed.! The length of the adult male is about 

 seventeen inches; that of the male Hen Harrier 

 about eighteen inches. The beak is nearly black ; 

 the cere greenish yellow : irides bright yellow ; the 

 head, the whole of the neck and all the upper parts 

 bluish grey ; the secondaries with three dark bars 

 across, the last of which is visible when the wing is 

 closed ; primaries almost black ; upper surface of 

 the central tail-feathers bluish grey; side tail- 



* Yarrell, vol. i., p. 116. f Id., p. 115. 



