448 CANADIAN FALCONID^.. 



Soutli America, so that it ia widely diffused over tlie continent. W© 

 have also Accipiter fuscus, the sharp-shinned hawk, in which the 

 superior size of the female is more conspicuous than in most 

 species. 



It remains for me to review the sub-family Circinae, the Harriers. 

 We have a specimen from the old College Museum of Circus Cya- 

 neuSi the hen harrier, seemingly the same as the British species, and 

 we have a female of the same which I believe is a European specimen ; 

 but the bird seems very difi&cult to procure here. It is declared by 

 some high authorities to be only the mature form of our Marsh-hawk. 

 I wish I could know the exact grounds for this assertion in order to 

 judge of the weight to be given to it, but in the mean time I am im- 

 pressed by the facts that the Marsh-hawk of this country. Circus 

 uliginosus of authors, differs considerably from the female as well as 

 the male of the other species, is perhaps our commonest raptorial 

 bird, whilst the supposed mature state is very rare, and the specimens 

 in our collection were supposed to be a pair, and exhibit differences 

 that would seem to imply difference of sex. I must therefore wait 

 better proof before I unite the species, especially considering that the 

 European Circus rufus, which is acknowledged to be distinct, bears a 

 great resemblance in colour to our uliginosus : yet observations have 

 been reported to me which favour the idea of the identity of 

 the species. Circus uliginosus is a very beautiful bird. It plainly 

 displays the same generic characters as C. Cyaneus, but there are signs 

 of specific distinctness suggestive of doubt, so that we want clear 

 evidence of the change it undergoes before admitting it as an estab- 

 lished fact. 



It appears that we have not less than fifteen native EALCONiDiE — 

 one or two more being probably to be found, and several of them re- 

 quiring careful investigation of their history by those whose country 

 residence, out-of-door pursuits, and fondness for the use of the gun 

 afford them the required opportunities. The British members of the 

 family reach twenty in number, but some of them are very rare visi- 

 tants, and, as we may possibly add one or two, and mine is a strictly 

 local list, the difference is not material. 



The family we have been examining is specially employed by Pro- 

 vidence to keep within proper bounds the increase of the smaller 

 birds, mammals, reptiles, and even the larger insects. Their armature 

 of foot and beak, the power of their wings, and their mode of seizing 



