426 Lieut. C. G. Finch-Davies on [Ibis, 



19. Circus aeruginosus (Linn.). European INIarsh-Harrier. 

 This seems to be a very rare species in South Africa, 



and the few specimens that have been secured all appear to 

 have been young or immature. I have never personally 

 met with it. 



20. Circus ranivorus (Daud.), African Marsh-Harrier. 



I found this Harrier very common throughout the south- 

 eastern districts of Cape Colony wherever marshy ground 

 was to be found, but never met with it in the South- West 

 Protectorate or Ovaraboland. I had fully expected to see 

 it in the latter country, as, at the time I was there, from 

 January to March, 1917, the country was more or less a 

 marsh. It is entirely a marsh frequenter, and closely 

 resembles the European species in habits. It is usually 

 seen beating slowly over the leed-beds in search of prey, 

 which consists of almost any living thing which it is strong 

 enough to kill — such as frogs, small birds, mice, rats, ymuig 

 ducks, and snipe. I have several times found jjlaces where 

 it had been feeding on Dabchicks [Pudiceps cajiensifi)^ 

 though how it had managed to catch these agile divers is a 

 mystery. If the sportsman returns to a marsh on the day 

 after he has shot over it, he will find all along the shores the 

 remains of ducks that had been lost at the time but subse- 

 quently found and eaten by the Marsh-Harriers. At sunset, 

 when the Bishop-birds and other Weavers return in thou- 

 sands to the reed-beds to roost, I have noticed the Harriers 

 dashing about and chasing them, to their great confusion, 

 but I have never seen any caught. When ducic-shooting 

 I have often found the nests of this species, usually placed 

 near fairly shallow water, and built in the middle of a clump 

 of rushes ; but on one or two occasions I have seen them iu 

 fairly deep water supported on a mass of floating vegetation. 

 I once found a nest containing two eggs within a few yards 

 of two nests of the South African Bittern {Botaurus 

 capensis), one of which contained young, tlie other three 

 eggs. During- the breeding-season I have noticed the male 

 birds soaring up to a great height, and then descending in a 



