56 FALCONIIN^E. CIRCUS. 



slightly emarginate ; oesophagus very wide, with an extremely 

 large crop ; proventriculus much dilated ; stomach very large, 

 round, with its muscular coat very thin ; pylorus without 

 valves ; intestine of moderate length and width ; cceca very 

 small ; cloaca very large and globular. Nostrils large, ovato- 

 oblong. Eyes large, the lachrymal ridge not projecting. 

 Aperture of ear very large, elliptical, with a bare space 

 extending from it to the base of the lower jaw. Feet long ; 

 tarsus slender, compressed, anteriorly and posteriorly seutel- 

 late ; toes rather small, slender, scutellate above, unless at 

 the base, the third and fourth connected by a rather large 

 basal web ; the first stouter but considerably shorter than 

 the second ; claws long, moderately curved, slender, com- 

 pressed, tapering to a fine point ; those of the first and 

 second toes much larger. Plumage very soft and generally 

 blended ; feathers oblong ; a distinct ruif of narrow curved 

 feathers from behind the eyes to the throat ; wings long, 

 broad, much rounded, the fourth and third" quills longest, the 

 first about equal to the seventh, the outer four with the 

 inner web sinuously cut out. Tail long, nearly even, or 

 rounded. 



There is considerable affinity in this genus to the owls, 

 more especially in the ruif, large aperture of the ear, and 

 downy plumage. The Harriers fly low, often in circles, 

 pounce upon small quadrupeds, birds, and reptiles, or some- 

 times pursue birds in open flight, and feed occasionally on 

 insects and fishes. They nestle on the ground. The female 

 generally differs from the male in colour. Three species 

 occur in Britain. 



18. CIRCUS CYANEUS. RING-TAILED HARRIER. 



The wings extending to about two inches from the tip of 

 the tail ; the fourth quill longest, the third almost equal. 

 Male with the plumage light bluish-grey, the outer primaries 

 black toward the end, the tail-coverts white. Female umber- 

 brown above, pale reddish-yellow longitudinally streaked with 

 brown beneath, tail-coverts white. Young similar to the 

 female, with the tints richer. 



Male, 18, 39^, 13, 1 T V, 2 7 \, 1-&, T V Female, 21, 46. 



This species feeds on small birds, and the young of larger, 

 but occasionally on grouse and partridges, often on young 



