THE BIRDS OF MESOPOTAMIA. 423 
Observed by Cumming at Fao as a passage migrant and winter visitor, he ob- 
tained three specimens in the first fortnight of September when they were passing 
in great numbers. ; 
No specimens were obtained by any of our observers and therefore statements 
concerning its presence in winter need verification. 
Weigold obtained one at Djullab on April 23rd and Neumann records one from 
Ras-el-Ain on July 30th, and remarks on the coloration of the tail of this speci- 
men which, instead of being red-brown, was iron grey with nine sharp black cross 
bands. From the date it was obtained he says it must have bred there, an 
assumption I consider entirely unwarrantable, as the date is not too early for odd 
migrants (see under Black Kite) or indeed it may have been a non-breeding in- 
dividual ; were one to accept the presence of a single bird of any species at the 
end of July as evidence of that species breeding in the locality, some very curious 
and very erroneous statements would occur in Ornithology. 
The status of this Buzzard in Mesopotamia requires further investigation. 
176. Long-legged Buzzard. Buteo ferox. ‘“Nisr.’’ 
Buteo ferox ferox (Gm.) (Nov. Comm. Acad. Petropol. 15, p. 442, 
1771—Astrachan). 
In most parts this Buzzard is @ common winter visitor arriving at the end of 
October and leaving again at the end of March. It should be familiar to most 
by its great diversity of plumage and its habit of perching on any upstanding 
thing such as a telegraph post, old wall, brick-kiln, etc., but many of the records 
have unfortunately to be discarded as they were evidently mixed up with other 
species. It seems certain that this species nests in the Tekrit area where Chees- 
man found a nest in the cliffs ; Logan Home also records a pair nesting there at 
the end of March, when he obtained a clutch of two eggs and saw several pairs 
building at the end of February . 
Cheesman obtained one at Hindia Barrage on March 22nd with organs 
advanced. Sassi records it from Mosul on June 2nd. 
Nine specimens examined :—d, Samarra, 20-2-19; 3, Amara, 4-12-17; 3, 
Hindia Barrage, 22-3-19 (P. Z. C. and R. E. C.); 9, Legait, 28-11-16 (Livesay), 
Sheik Saad, 12-17 (Ingoldby); Kut, 27-10-16 (C. R. P.); Q, Amara, 13-1-18 ; 
3 &, Ezra’s Tomb, 23-2-18 (P. A. B.). 
177. Pallid Harrier. Circus macrourus. 
Circus macrourus (Gm.) (Nov. Comm. Acad. Petropol., 15, 1770, 
p. 439, 1771—Voronez in Russia). ; 
A common winter visitor throughout our area ; first noted on September 12th 
but most arrive in October ; the majority leave during March but there are 
records up to April 13th. It is found wherever suitable country occurs such as 
scrub, grassy plains, crops, ete. Brooking records it taking a ‘‘Paddy Bird” at 
Ramadi and, more than once, Pigeons of the Carrier Service. Sassi records it at 
Mosul on April 25th and Neumann from Ras-el-Ain as early as August 8th. 
Six specimens examined :—d, Amara, 14-2-18; Sheik Saad, 8-12-16 (P.Z.C. 
and R. E. C.);} o, Amara, 1-17; Kumait, 2-17 (P.A.B.); Mesopotamia 
(Perreau), Kut, 6-1-17 (C. R. P.). 
178. Montagu’s Harrier. Circus cineraceus 
Circus cineraceus (Mont.) (Orn. Dict., 1802—Wiltshire). 
Various other Harriers are recorded as being observed such as cyaneus, which 
may occur, and melanoleucus which is unlikely to; however it seems almost 
certain that Montagu’s Harrier does occur, Zarudny records it in winter in the 
Karun district and several of our observers record it, noting that its ap- 
pearance and disappearance and habits are much the same as those of the Pallid 
Harrier. Noskins however were obtained. 
