66 CIRCUS ^EUGINOSUS. 



represents, as I think, a very old male. Mr. Saunders writes thus to me : 



'' He rose from a large field where many Marsh-Harriers breed, and where 

 I had taken my first nest of the Purple Gallinule (^Porphyrio hyacinthus). The 

 bird got up out of shot, and sailed slowly over the wheat for about three hundred 

 yards, when I marked him down. I rode carefully to the spot, as near as I 

 could judge, and felt terribly nervous about missing him ; for on the wing the 

 contrast of the dark black, slate, white, and buff showed off to more advantage 

 than in the present state. As it happened, I went somewhat beyond him, and 

 he suddenly rose on my left, rather behind me ; but, turning round on the 

 'aparejo ' which served as a saddle, I managed to drop him. Probably he 

 had some small prey in his clutches, and this made him settle down so soon 

 again ; but in the excitement of the moment I did not notice any thing when 

 I picked him up. Taking those which I have myself shot and those I have 

 seen shot by others, at least one hundred Marsh-Harriers have been handled 

 by me from the ' marisma ' alone ; but I never saw any thing like this one 

 anywhere. It must be remembered that the Marsh-Harrier is abundant in 

 all suitable localities in the southern portion of Spain ; but in the marshes of 

 the Guadalquivir it absolutely swarms, and is a great pest from its egg- 

 robbing propensities." 



In ^The Ibis,' Jan. 1871, 3rd ser. vol. i. p. 64, Mr. Saunders remarks : — 

 " Specimens in my collection, selected from a large series, run somewhat 

 smaller and darker than the average from Northern and Eastern Europe.'' 

 He adds the Spanish names — " Milano," '*^Arpella." 



Again (Ibis, April 1873, 3rd ser. vol. iii. p. 232) :—" The identification 

 of the females and immature birds of the genus Circus has caused a good 

 deal of perplexity." Of the four species found in Europe, " there is little 

 danger of mistaking C. ceruginosus (Linn.) in any stage ; but the outer webs of 

 the second, third, fourth, and fifth primaries are emarginated." (7. cyaneus 

 (Linn.), the same. " This formation of the fifth primary would appear to be 

 characteristic of nearly all the Harriers. ... As regards the two remaining 

 European species, C swainsonii^ Smith (C. pallidus, Sykes), has the second. 



