328 THE HEN HARRIER. 



is not so partial to woods as the kite, and often makes 

 its nest in rushes, or among long grass or autumn 

 wheat ; but it also occasionally builds in trees. It is a 

 small bird compared to the kite. The length is about 

 a foot and a half; and the breadth about forty inches. 

 Its tail is long, like that of the kite, but it is not forked. 

 The general colours of the male are, gray above, and 

 white on the under side ; and those of the female, 

 brown above, and white below, and in both places 

 more or less marked with orange. The colours vary a 

 good deal, however, both in the individual and with 

 age ; and that has led to the bestowing of more names 

 upon this than upon almost any other bird. 



The hen harrier flies very low, with a swift and 

 smooth motion, and few birds or small quadrupeds 

 escape its fury. It is said even to attack deer and 

 sheep, especially at the season when they are weakly, 

 and to prevent their escape by striking them blind with 

 its beak. Of all the birds of prey that are known in this 

 country, it is the most destructive in the poultry yard, 

 and also in all places where there are game. It is an 

 extensive rover, and wherever it roves it is certain of 

 success. Though it has none of the cowardice of the 

 kite, it has the same extensive range of feeding, 

 making prey of every thing that it can muster, and 

 eating garbage when it can find no food to kill. The 

 hen harrier is easily distinguished from all other hawks 

 by the length of the ear feathers, that form a complete ruff 

 round the neck, which in the female is white and very 

 stiff. Notwithstanding the hen harrier produces more 

 eggs than the kite, it is not much more common, though 

 it is more generally diffused over the low parts of the 



