64 Among the Birds in Northern Shires. 



to the lowlands and the southern counties. Formerly 

 this Harrier was a fairly familiar bird on the moors 

 of the south-western counties, where, however, its 

 local names of " Blue Hawk " and " Furze Kite ", 

 indicative of old-time abundance, are nearly all that 

 is left to us. We may remark in connection with 

 this bird that a century ago the male and female 

 (being so much unlike each other in plumage) were 

 almost universally regarded as two distinct species, 

 the latter known as the " Ring-tail " Hawk. Mon- 

 tagu cleared up the confusion by rearing a brood 

 (doubtless from a Devonshire nest), and clearly 

 demonstrated that the two supposed species were in 

 reality the opposite sexes of one. About the South 

 Yorkshire moors the Hen Harrier is practically 

 unknown. Our limited experience of the bird was 

 obtained on the moors of Skye, where we believe it 

 still continues to nest. We have there seen it beat- 

 ing along the hillsides in a slow deliberate manner 

 just above the tall ling, amongst which, in this island, 

 it almost invariably makes its nest, placing it upon 

 the ground. The four or five very pale-blue eggs 

 are often destroyed by sheep; in fact, we were as- 

 sured by an intelligent keeper in Skye that to this 

 cause alone its diminishing numbers must be attri- 

 buted. This Harrier reaches the moors in April or 

 early May, and nests during the latter month and 

 the first half of June. The cock is a beautiful bird, 



