98 FALCONIDA. 
large. Nostrils oval. Lore covered with radiating hairs. Head surrounded 
with a ruff of small feathers. Wings long; the first wing-feather very short, the 
third or fourth feather the longest. Tail long. Tarsi long, slender, and naked ; 
claws slightly curved, and very sharp. 
Tue Marss Harrier, though frequently called a Buz- 
zard, is, in conjunction with the two British species to be 
described next in succession, immediately distinguished 
from the true Buzzards by the more elongated and slender 
form of their bodies, their lengthened, taper and naked 
legs, the still greater softness of their plumage, and by the 
circular disk of short feathers which surround the face. 
In the two points last mentioned,—namely, the loose and 
floculent character of the feathers, and the circular arrange- 
ment of those about the face,—the Harriers exhibit an 
obvious resemblance to the Owls, and the affinity on com- 
paring the skeletons of each is most decided. 
One of the remarkable traits in the species of the genus 
Circus, as established by Bechstein, is, that the males when 
adult are all more or less ash grey in colour, while the 
females retain their original tints of red or brown. This 
at least is the case with all the known species, three of 
which are British. The Marsh Harrier is the largest of 
these, and appears to require a greater length of time 
than others of smaller size before the male exhibits any 
portion of the ash grey plumage ; nor is it known, that 
I am aware, that this species ever at any age becomes 
entirely grey, like the other smaller males among the 
Harriers ; but when the habits and plumage of the Marsh 
Harrier are duly considered, and compared with those 
of the two species which follow here im succession, no 
doubt will remain that the bird now under consideration 
is a true Harrier, and not a Buzzard. Our figure repre- 
sents an old male. 
The Marsh Harrier, as its name imports, is generally 
