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THE HEN-HARRIER. 

 (Circus cyaneus.) 



THE nest of the Hen-Harrier is built of roots and plant 

 stems, is soft within and is often placed on the ground ; 

 if in heather, or dried up marsh, it is often a foot high. 

 From four to six bluish-white eggs, sometimes yellowish- 

 brown or rufous markings, are laid. 



This bird of prey has a light, sweeping flight. It 

 leaves Hungary in winter. It hunts alone and takes its 

 food exclusively from the ground. This consists of 

 small mammals, especially mice, the bird is also particu- 

 larly fond of robbing the nests of such birds as build on 

 the ground; it sucks the eggs and devours the small 

 downy creatures within them. It also takes the little 

 hares in short, it is one of the most destructive birds 

 in the fields which it frequents and hunts over untiringly. 

 On the other hand, there comes a time when the number 

 of field mice has increased beyond measure. Then the 

 Hen-Harrier joins the other birds of prey and destroys 

 enormous numbers of those enemies of the farmer. For 

 this reason the species should not be altogether 

 exterminated. 



Of late years the numbers of the Hen-Harrier have 

 been greatly thinned by game-preservers, and it only 

 nests now on a few of our largest and wildest moorlands 

 and wastes. Even in Scotland it is fast decreasing so 

 far as nesting goes, whereas it was once plentiful there. 

 Still there are a fairly large number of young birds in 

 the autumn, and then, too, the adult birds come down 

 from the higher-lying districts to the lowlands. It used 



