52 BIRDS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND. 



as an East Lothian species, having examined a number of speci- 

 mens that were shot in that county. I noticed many years ago its 

 partiality for ducks and pigeons at the Tyne estuary, where a fine 

 specimen formed a marked object for some months before being 

 taken. As the birds on which it was occasionally seen feeding 

 were full grown, they may have been wounded, and thus have fallen 

 an easy prey. I can hardly think any buzzard strong enough to 

 pursue and kill a wild duck of any species. Messrs Baikie and 

 Heddle state that this bird is an occasional visitant in Orkney; and 

 it is likewise known to be a straggler in some parts of Shetland. 



THE HEN HARRIER. 



CIRCUS CYANEUS. 

 Anteunfionn. Breid-air-toin. Clamhan luch. 



THIS is a very common species on all the islands of the Outer 

 Hebridean group, and also throughout the inner islands, Skye, 

 Mull, Islay, Jura, eic., where it is known by the Gaelic name of 

 Clamhan luch, signifying mouse-hawk. I have seen twelve or four- 

 teen specimens in one day on Benbecula and North Uist, arid 

 likewise in South Uist, where its hunting-grounds are of a similar 

 nature. The flight of this bird is peculiarly buoyant, and occa- 

 sionally very graceful, as it surmounts a hillock or clump of rocks, 

 sweeping down the other side with contemptuous ease. Some- 

 times, when hungry, it flaps slowly above a grass field, or patch 

 of growing corn, hanging on wing for a second or two before de- 

 scending somewhat clumsily on its unlucky prey ; at other times 

 it sails speedily over the ground, content to stoop at anything 

 which comes in the line of its flight. 



This species, in such districts as the chain of outer islands, has 

 the habit of hunting over the same ground for days in succession, 

 appearing regularly at the same hour, and going through its evolu- 

 tions so methodically, that a specimen can easily be obtained by 

 concealing one's self at a convenient place. I noticed this habit 

 particularly on Benbecula and North Uist, where some grass fields 

 lay near the shore. On Ben Eval I at various times observed 

 several Hen Harriers at a moderate elevation, searching the sides 

 of that conspicuous hill, and, on climbing to the top some time 

 afterwards, I found that numbers of field-mice had their holes near 



