368 THE HEN-HARRIER 



They're reg'lar wussers ; they kills 'em dead at one clip, 

 an' takes 'em out in the middle o' them big fields to eat 

 'em. They ain't goin' to let you get near 'em, not they, 

 an' they wun't fly over a place where you kin hide. 

 I've tried to git at 'em, but it all cum to nothin'. Them 

 'ere blue hawks an' ring-tails would circumvent the 

 devil." 



The adult male has the upper parts a slatey-grey tone 

 of colour, the rump white, throat and breast bluish-grey 

 under parts white. The female is brown above, the 

 neck rufous-brown streaked with white there is a 

 distinct facial ruff, giving the head an owl-like appear- 

 ance, suggesting that this species might be the link 

 between Owls and Hawks tail brown, having five darker 

 bars, hence the old name of Ring-tail given to the female 

 of this bird; under parts buff-brown with darker stripes. 

 Length 21 inches. The young resemble the female. 



