142 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



to be a common species on wild rough moorlands in many parts of the 

 county. It is now so reduced in numbers as to be only occasionally seen, 

 although we think it still nests on Exmoor and in some of the wilder parts 

 of Xorth Devon. We have frequently met the Hen-Harrier on Dartmoor ; 

 and in Xorth Devon it used not to be uncommon on the Braunton Bur- 

 rows and about the Barnstaple river, but young birds of the year were 

 more often seen than adults. In the severe winter of 1860-61, an old 

 male Hen-Harrier, on Luiidy Island, appeared to be supporting himself 

 entirely on the starving Fieldfares. We possess specimens of this Harrier 

 in all plumages obtained in Xorth Devon. The old male, with his blue back 

 and pure white underparts, is a handsome bird, and it is a pretty sight to 

 see him quartering the ground, like a setter, on the search for his food, 

 which cousists of mice, moles, lizards, and small birds. The Hen-Harrier 

 is not a powerful bird on wing. One day, as we got over a fence, we came 

 ujion one squatting on the ground immediately beneath ; it was very 

 windy, and the Harrier went off with the wind, rolling and tossing about 

 in the air in the most uncouth style. On anotlier occasion we saw a 

 Pereq;rine, in wantonness, fly at an old male Hen-Harrier, and were then 

 astonished to see the Harrier make a very good flight indeed, avoiding 

 several stoops of his antagonist and eventually shaking him off. The 

 female Hen-Harrier, as is the case with many raptorial birds, is larger 

 than the male and is of a brown plumage. One of the many ornitho- 

 logical problems solved by Col. Montagu was the true relation of the so- 

 called " Ring-tail " to the Hen-Harrier. By rearing a brood from the 

 nest, and observing the changes in plumage, the Colonel satisfactorily 

 proved that the King-tail, which was regarded by many of the naturalists 

 of his day as a distinct species, was only the female bird. 



The ITen-Harrier formerly bred in tlie neighboiirbood of Dartmoor. A nest con- 

 taining three young birds and an addled egg was found by a servant of the Rev. Kerr 

 Yaiighan, at the end of June 1805. Two of the young being reared enabled Montagu 

 to confirm the specific identity of the Ring-tail and Hen-Harrier (Trans. Linn. Soc. is. 

 p. 182 : and Orn. Dii't., SuppL). The nest and eggs are said to have been found near 

 Bovcy Tracey (\V. W. B. v.v.). 



The Hen-Harrier is very scarce near Plymouth. Bolitho received only three speci- 

 mens in twenty years, viz. : — a female April 18."tl ; a male June 1851 (probably the 

 same as the one shot at Asliburton in that mouth and vear) ; and one ^'ovember (itii, 

 18.i5(MS. Notes). A female was killed there September 2Uth, 1873 (J. G., Zool. 1873, 

 p 3785 ; see also Zool. 1874, p. .'J'.tri, for correction f)f previous note). 



An adult male was seen near Kingsbridge, September 27th, 1877, and another there 

 September 11th, 1878 (E. A. S. E., ilS. >>otes). "A mature male bird was some 

 years ago shot on Kernhorough Moor, Stokenham, by Mr. Perrot. It passed into tlie 

 collection of Mr. Roe, of Gnaton Hall. I have also met with one female" (H. !X., MS. 

 !Notes). 



An adult male was killed at Ashburton. June 12th, 1851 (R. A. J., ' Jfaturalist,' 

 1851, p. 21)9). A female was trapped at Haccombe, May 5th, 1871 (J. H. G , Zool. 

 1871, p. 2679). A pair were shot at Chagford, in 1871 (Pidt-ley's B. of Devou.-ihire, 

 p. 71). A young bird was shot near Taw Head, Dartmoor, Oct. 10, 1877, by Mr E. G. 

 Langley. A female occurred at Torquay in 1851 (E. B.. Zool. 1851, p. o234), and 

 anotiier, which was obtained at Dawlish the same year, is in tlie Torquay Museum. 



There are several specimens of thi:. bird in the A. M. M. killed near Exeter. A nearly 

 adult male was shot on the coast near Exmouth iu September 1841 (F. W. L. R., MS. 



