4674 THE ZooLocist—NovVEMBER, 1875. 
transition state the bird has a motley piebald appearance. Nothing 
was seen of either of the parent harriers. 
16th. Though a wet, foggy and boisterous day, I went on the 
Downs, fearing that my captive might have got entangled, but it 
was found in the nest, though it had managed to get its foot out 
of the noose. Being fearful of losing it, it was taken, and in its 
struggles the downy feathers were scattered in all directions, the 
bespeckled bird looking as if it had been in a snow-storm. 
On the morning of the 17th it was found sitting where it had 
been placed overnight, but the meat provided had not been 
touched, and it was late in the day before it could be induced to 
swallow a few pieces of meat held out on a stick, being very 
savage, striking violently with both wings and beak. 
20th. Most of the down has been shed, except on the head, 
and the whole of the under parts are now of a uniform rust-brown ; 
feathers with dark shafts; chin grayish white; forehead and crown 
dark; hair brown, streaked and spotted with black; there is a 
large patch of light yellowish brown on the occiput; nape and 
back of a dark glossy brown, margined with light yellowish brown; 
wing-coverts the same, but more broadly tipped with the lighter 
colour, which forms a conspicuous patch on the wing when closed. 
Bordering the eye there is a narrow line of minute black feathers, 
and over and beneath it a band of velvety feathers of a light buff 
colour; from ear-coverts to gape a large semicircular patch of 
dark chestnut-brown. The dusky loral space has a greenish yellow 
tinge, and there is a black patch near the eye, and numerous 
erect black bristles about the nostrils. Primary quills slightly, 
secondaries broadly, tipped with light reddish brown; fourth quill 
the longest. It is fond of basking in the sun with outstretched 
wings and expanded tail, and is constantly preening and adjusting 
the feathers, passing the quills through the bill. It will touch 
no food that is tainted, nor does it feed readily on meat; but 
a sparrow which was given it was fixed firmly in the claws and 
torn to shreds. 
23rd. It is now about fifteen inches and a half in length; the 
fourth quill is still the longest, the wings reaching to within an 
inch and a quarter of the end of the tail, and it now makes use of 
them, and would doubtless have been on the wing ere this if at 
liberty. 
25th. It is now five weeks old, and there is little down remaining. 
