434 



bird is peculiarly buoyant, and occasionally very graceful, as it surmounts a hillock or a clump 

 of rocks, sweeping down the other side with contemptuous ease. Sometimes, when hungry, it 

 flaps slowly above a grass-field, or patch of growing com, hanging on wing for a second or two 

 before descending somewhat clumsily on its unlucky prey ; at other times it sails speedily over 

 the ground, content to stoop at any thing which comes in the line of its flight. This species, in 

 such districts as the chain of outer islands, has the habit of hunting over the same ground for 

 days in succession, appearing regularly at the same hour, aud going through its evolutions so 

 methodically that a specimen can easily be obtained by concealing one's self at a convenient 

 place. I noticed this habit particularly on Benbecula and North Uist, where some grass-fields 

 lay near the shore." 



It is found in Shetland in the winter, and Dr. Saxby once met with it breeding on the 

 island of Yell. In Ireland, according to Thompson, it is pretty generally distributed, and its 

 nest has been found in various suitable localities : but by Mr. Walters's account {fide Professor 

 Newton, I. c), it is of considerable rarity in the eastern portion, though he has known it to breed 

 on the Wicklow mountains. It has not been met with in the Faeroes, but is not uncommon in 

 most parts of Scandinavia. Mr. Collett states that it is found here and there throughout Norway 

 up to Finmark. Near Christiania it is most frequently seen on the spring passage, but does not 

 breed there ; and though it ranges up to East Finmark, he only knows of one nest having been 

 obtained in Hedemark. Wolley, however, found it breeding in Lapland considerably above 

 lat. 68° N. In Sweden, according to Professor Nilsson, the Hen-Harrier is met with on the 

 spring and autumn passage, chiefly in September, October, and November, and less frequently in 

 March and April. He saw one near Nobbeloff on the 1st February 1854, but it was rare at that 

 season. I did not observe it when in Finland ; but Von Wright informed me that, though not 

 numerous, it is generally distributed, and there is a specimen in the Helsingfors Museum from 

 Muonioniska, Lapland. 



It appears to be tolerably common in Northern Russia; for most collections from there 

 contain examples, and Meves found it on all the large marshes in the north of Russia visited 

 by him, as, for instance, at Novaya Ladoga, Wiutegra, Archangelskoi, and Archangel. Messrs. 

 Seebohm and Harvie-Brown met with it on the Petchora, and write (Ibis, 1876, p. Ill), " We 

 saw the first Hen-Harrier on the 24th May, and continued to see them almost daily as long as 

 we remained at Ust Zymla. We occasionally met with them on our voyage down the river, 

 and on the tundra as far north as Stanavoialachta." Sabanaeff says that it is found throughout 

 Central Russia, being especially numerous in the Government of Tula. He also met with it 

 commonly in the Ural. In Poland, according to Mr. Taczanowski, it is plentiful in the summer, 

 arriving early in March and disappearing altogether by the end of October. In some seasons 

 the young birds are very numerous. Some few breed in North Germany ; and it is found there 

 also on passage. In mild weather stragglers remain throughout the whole winter ; but, as a 

 rule, it passes south for that season. 



In Denmark, Mr. Collin says, it is rare ; he gives many instances of its occurrence there, 

 chiefly in the late autumn and early portion of the winter ; but he does not cite any notice of its 

 having been found nesting in that country, except that he was informed by Mr. Briiel that it 

 breeds here and there on the heaths of Jutland. In a letter lately received from Mr. A. Benzon, 



