Montagus \-\ahu\eu. ioi 



shot in the act of feeding the young witli a lialf-grovvn Partridge. Black varieties 

 of Montagu's Harrier, chiefly of the male bird, are far from uncommon, and have 

 been obtained in Norfolk, in South Devon, in Dorset, and in Hants. Montagu's 

 Harrier, is very rare in Ireland, only three occurrences having been recorded. 



The eggs are from four to six in number, are bluish-white, sometimes with 

 a few rusty spots; they measure 17 inches by 1-3 inches. The hen begins to 

 sit directly the first egg is laid, and while she is sitting she is fed by the cock, 

 and flies from the nest to meet him, catching the food he drops her in the air. 



The range of Montagu's Harrier extends over the central countries of Europe 

 and Asia ; large flocks have been noticed assembling at the time of migration in 

 the au.tumn in the south of France. In the winter it goes so far south as the 

 Cape in Africa, but numbers winter throiighout that continent in Algeria, Egypt, 

 Abyssinia, etc. 



The adult male is ashj^-blue on the head, neck, back, and upper wing-coverts, 

 but is of a darker colour on the back than the male Hen-Harrier ; the upper 

 tail-coverts are white at the base, bluish-ash tow^ards the tip ; the tail is like the 

 back, except the two outer rectrices on either side which are paler, and barred 

 with pale ferruginous ; the two next barred with darker grey, tinged with reddish ; 

 primaries black ; secondaries short, coloured like the back, with two hidden and 

 one conspicuous blackish bars ; under parts below the breast greyish-white, striped 

 with chestnut red ; bill blackish horn ; cere, irides, and legs j-ellow. 



The adult female is of a warm brown, varied with light rust}' rufous on the 

 upper parts ; under parts warm pale ochreous, striped with rust}- broA\Ti ; upper 

 tail-coverts white, striped and blotched at the tip with rufous ; central rectrices 

 greyish-brown, barred with blackish-browu ; outer rectrices white or greyish- white 

 tinged with rufous and barred with dark reddish brown. 



Length of male 17 inches; of female 19 inches. 



The young are chocolate-brown above, and rufous-ochreous on the under parts. 

 Howard Saunders states that in any stage of plumage Montagu's Harrier may be 

 distinguished from the Hen Harrier by the outer web of its fifth primar}- having 

 710 notch or emargination. 



