THE MARSH HARRIER. 



269 



that lies in its course, making them unsettled and wild."* The same authority furnishes the following 

 interesting particulars about the habits of the present species : "In Andalusia, as well as in Morocco, 

 over all low wet ground, the Marsh Harrier is to be seen in vast numbers, particularly in winter. 

 Great quantities remain to breed, sometimes as many as twenty nests being within three hundred 

 yards of one another. The latter, loosely constructed with dead sedges, vary very much in size and 

 depth, and are usually placed amidst rushes in swamps, but sometimes on the ground among brambles 

 and low brushwood, always near water, though occasionally far from marshes. They begin to lay about 

 the end of March, and at that time fly up a great height, playing about, and continually uttering their 

 wailing cry. The eggs are bluish- white, and usually four or live in number ; they certainly vary in 

 size and shape, and are often much stained. Like the eggs of all the Harriers that I am acquainted 

 with, and many others of the Accipitres, when blown and held up to the light they show a bluish 



MARSH HARHIEK. 



tinge. I once found a nest containing only one egg nearly ready to hatch, and saw another with 

 six eggs (thi-ee quite fresh, and the other three hard sat on). I believe that if the first set of eggs 

 be taken they lay again in a fresh nest, as I found sets of fresh eggs as late as the 2nd of May. 



"Cowardly and ignoble, they are the terror of all the poultry which are in their districts, con- 

 tinually carrying off chickens, and, like other Harriers, are most terribly destructive to the eggs and 

 young of all birds. On account of these propensities, I never let off a Marsh Harrier unless it spoiled 

 sport to fire at one. Sometimes, when at Casa Vieja, and the Snipe were scarce, we used to lie up in the 

 line of the Harriers' flight to their roosting-places ; for they always take the same course, and come 

 evening after evening within five minutes of the same time. Upon one occasion a friend and myself 

 killed eleven, and during the visit accounted for over twenty. I also upon every possible opportunity 

 destroyed the nest and shot the old ones ; but it was the labour of Sisyphus, for others immediately 

 appeared. However, there was a visible diminution of their numbers at Casa Yieja. I never saw 

 rats in their nests or crops, and believe they have not the courage to kill them ; small snakes, frogs, 

 wounded birds, eggs, and nestlings unable to fly, form the main part of their prey. I have seen the 



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* Col. Irby, " Ornithology of the Strait of Gibraltar," p. 34. 



