THE BIRDS OF PREY OF THE PUNJAB. 131 



more in the form of spots, by the white around the 

 eyes being more sullied, and the moustachial stripe 

 and ear coverts being rufous with dark streaks instead 

 of uniform brown, and by the upper tail-coverts being 

 pure white. The ruft is well marked. Young birds 

 have the lower parts buff or pale rufous, with dis- 

 tinct broad shaft-stripes and the ruft', though dis- 

 tinct, is always striated." 



"Bill black; cere yellow ; iris yellow, brown in 

 the young and according to some observers in 

 females ; legs and feet yellow " (Blanford). 



Measurements. "Length of male about IS" : tail 9; wing 13; 



tarsus 2-75. Length of female 21 ; tail lO'o ; wing 

 15 : tarsus 3" (Blanford). N, B. — Usually the tarsus 

 is just under 3". 



Habits, etc. This bird can at all times be separated from 



C. macrurus by its pure white upper tail-coverts and 

 by having its fifth primary notched. The iris of the 

 adult female is yellow, so far as I have seen though 

 in the young bird it is brownish. 



The Hen-Harrier is a winter visitor to the Punjab 

 and to be found throughout the Province, during 

 that time. Very like the Pale Harrier in its habits, 

 mode of hunting and flight, but 1 think, somewhat 

 more given to soaring than the latter. During the 

 spring and autumn it is found at great heights and 

 1 have come across him at 15,000 feet and over, 

 beating over the barren hill-sides and chasing 

 accentors and finches. 



The adult male can generally be recognised by 

 the darker colouring on the breast, throat and chin 

 in particular, and both sexes by the pure white 

 upper tail-coverts. 



Nothing is known of its nidification in the Pro- 

 vince and I certainly have never met with this 

 species, even in the higher Himalaya, during the 

 summer months. Blanford states that it has been 

 known to breed at Tso Morari in Thibet. 



1237. Cir.us rur/inosus. The Marsh-Harrier. 



Characteristic . Size medium ; length 21 1" ; wing ]6;tail 9| ; 



tarsus over 3". From cere on culmen to tip of bill 

 is more than 0-76". (in the two preceding species 

 it is under 0-75"). Female dark brown throughout 

 except the head and the male is never so pale as 

 the other two and much more variegated. 



Colouration. " Adult male. Head, neck and breast bufl' or pale 



rufous, with dark brown shaft-stripes, broader on the 

 breast ; back and most of the wing-coverts dark 

 brown ; scapulars still darker, sometimes grey to- 

 wards the base ; smallest coverts along the fore- 

 arm whitish, with dark brown shafts ; outer greater 

 coverts, primary-coverts, and all quills except first 

 6 primaries dark silvery grey, remaining coverts 

 and very often the tertiaries dark brown ; first six 

 primaries black with the basal portion white ; upper 



