y24 Mr. W. O. Aikin on the .-ish- coloured Harrier. 



ornithologists should not adopt his description throughout. It however 

 agrees exactly with two young ones which I have at present alive, excepting 

 that the irides of mine are of a deep hazel ; they are about two months old, 

 and are kept in a garden with young ones, of about the same age, of 

 both the other Harriers; these differ so materially from their companions 

 that they could never be mistaken by a person who has once seen them; 

 first, their size is so much less, then the deep rust colour which pervades 

 their whole plumage and the absence of the ruff of small feathers round 

 the head at once distinguish them from the common Hen-Harrier. I 

 find them much wilder than the others, and the male when disturbed is 

 continually uttering a short shrill call while the others are silent unless 

 actually laid hold of. They all strike with their talons, not using their bills 

 till their feet are secured. 



I had an opportunity of weighing and measuring the birds in my own 

 collection, the particulars of which are as follows : 

 A male killed 17th June, weighed 9| ounces troy. Length 17| inches. 



Breadth 3J feet. In the crop were five Lizards in fragments, 



the tails only being perfect. 

 A female killed 1 7th June, weighed 1 J ounces, troy. Length 1 8 1 inches. 



Breadth 3 feet, 6| inches. 

 A female killed 1 9th June, weighed 9\ ounces, troy. Length 17J inches. 



Breadth 3 feet, 9 inches. Tail 9i inches. Three of the ova 



w^ere as large as marbles, there were also a great many smaller 



ones. 

 A female killed 1st July, weighed 8^ ounces, troy. Length 17 inches. 



Breadth 3 feet, 9 inches. Tail 9 inches. 

 If these remarks are considered worthy your notice, and the young birds 

 live, I shall be happy to furnish you with any other memoranda v^hich 

 I consider curious during their change of plumage. 



I remain, Sir, 



Your's, &c. 



W. 0. AlKIN. 



Cambridge^ 



2'3rdJuly, 1830. 



