78 falconidjE. 



and remained about the place for weeks after its supposed partner's 

 death. This species has occasionally bred in England. On the 

 7th of June, 1839, an adult male was shot on the county of An- 

 trim strand of Belfast bay, and purchased by Richard Langtry, 

 Esq. The food in its stomach consisted of coleopterous insects 

 only. A specimen of the honey buzzard was sent in a recent 

 state from Gorey, county of Wexford, in the summer or autumn 

 of 1841, to Mr. Glennon, bird-preserver, Dublin.' 55 ' 



Mr. Selby, in the Berwickshire Club Report for 1836, p. 109, 

 gives a very interesting account of one of these birds, which was 

 observed and trapped in his demesne at Twizel, Northumber- 

 land. 



THE MARSH HARRIER. 

 Moor Buzzard. 



Circus ceruginosus, Linn, (sp.) — Circus rufus, Gmel. (sp.) 

 Falco „ „ Falco „ „ 



Is found in suitable localities over the island, and is 

 resident. 



This species appears, as from the nature of the country might 

 be expected, of more frequent occurrence in Ireland than in 

 Scotland. Sir William Jardine informs us that in the latter 

 country, it is "rare generally/' and "would also seem to be 

 partially migratory ."f Mr. Macgillivray observes, that it " must 

 be very rare in the northern and middle divisions" of Scotland, 

 and that " none of the bird-stuffers in Edinburgh have had a 

 specimen for at least five years back."! (1840.) Specimens have 

 not very unfrequently come under my inspection at the bird-pre- 

 servers' in Belfast. I have, in the course of the last fifteen years, 

 known about twenty of them to be killed in Antrim and Down, 

 within the same number of miles from Belfast. They were ob- 

 tained at all seasons except summer, and chiefly in the low 

 grounds. The last marsh harriers that came under my notice, 

 were an adult pah, which were shot close to the Main-water, at 



* Mr. T. W. Warren, f Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 239. 



X Brit. Birds, vol. iii. p. 385. 



