102 FALCONIDA. 
influence the assumption and changes of plumage in birds, 
to be hereafter more particularly adverted to. In the 
present instance, the old male, from his almost uniform ash 
grey colour as seen in the figure, is called provincially the 
Dove Hawk and Blue Hawk; and on account of a sup- 
posed partiality to some part of the produce of the farm- 
yard, by the more general name of Hen Harrier. The 
female, called a Ringtail, is brown: a representation of 
the head of one forms the subject of the vignette, m 
which, from its spotted appearance, the circular ruff around 
the face is distinctly seen. 
These birds inhabit flat marshy situations, fens, low 
moors and commons, partially covered with furze and short 
bushes. They feed indiscriminately on small mammalia, 
birds, and reptiles: twenty lizards were found in the sto- 
mach of one killed near London. They are considered to 
be particularly destructive to the young of Gallinaceous 
birds. Their flight performed apparently without much 
labour, 1s easy and buoyant, but not rapid, and generally 
within a few feet of the surface of the ground, which they 
appear to examine with great care, making close and di- 
ligent search for any object of food, and have courage and 
strength sufficient to pounce upon and kill a Partridge, 
a Red Grouse, or even a Pheasant. They have been ob- 
served to hunt the same ground regularly; and a male 
bird has been seen to examine a large wheat stubble 
thoroughly, crossing it m various directions, always about 
the same hour in the afternoon, and for many days in 
succession. 
The nest is placed on the ground; the materials col- 
lected to form it are but few, consisting of small sticks and 
coarse grass: the eggs are four or five in number, white 
or of a pale skimmed-milk blue, one inch eight lines long 
