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of Copenhagen, this gentleman informs me that he only knows of seven or eight Danish-killed 

 specimens, one of which, an old male, shot on the Geel So, a few miles from Copenhagen, is in 

 his collection. It certainly breeds, he adds, in Jutland, and here and there in Komagre ; but 

 there are no Danish-taken eggs in any collection he has seen. It is found in suitable localities 

 in Western Germany, and inhabits Holland in summer, but not very commonly, occurring in 

 North Brabant, Gelderland, and Drenthe ; Baron Fallou states that it is rare in Belgium during 

 the summer. He saw it several times near Namur. 



In France it is principally met with in the northern districts ; but, according to M. Adrien 

 Lacroix, it breeds in the French Pyrenees, arriving early in the spring, and in the autumn large 

 numbers pass on their journey southward. During mild winters a few stragglers remain 

 throughout the winter near Toulouse. It is said to occur in Portugal and in Spain ; but it is by 

 no means so common as its allies in the latter country. Colonel Irby writes (Orn. Str. Gibr. 

 p. 32) : — " On the Spanish side of the Straits, though a resident bird, the Hen-Harrier is most 

 frequently seen in winter ; but their numbers fluctuate greatly. I observed more in the winter 

 of 1871-72 than at any other time, particularly about Casa Vieja, seldom, however, coming 

 across an old male." Lord Lilford, on the contrary, found the males more numerous than the 

 females ; for he writes to me as follows : — " We found this species very common in May and 

 June 1876, in the province of Santander, and were struck by the great numerical preponderance 

 of male birds. This of course is partially accounted for by the fact that the females were on 

 their nests ; but I do not recollect to have seen more than one of the latter sex, whilst hardly 

 a day passed without our noticing two or more males in those parts of the country suited to 

 their habits." 



Passing eastward, again, I find that it is met with in Savoy, principally from October to 

 the commencement of the severe weather, and in the early spring of the year. In Italy it is 

 not very abundant on the mainland ; but it is a common winter visitant to Sardinia, and occurs 

 also in the large marshes of Sicily. Mr. C. A. Wright says that it visits Malta at the same time 

 as the Pallid Harrier, and that, curiously enough, though he has examined as many as thirty 

 females in one season, he never saw one single adult male there. Lord Lilford writes to me, 

 " I have shot this species occasionally in Epirus, where it is common during the winter months, 

 frequenting the marshes. All the Harriers are great devourers of eggs ; and I have killed one of 

 the present species with its mouth full of fresh yolk ; in the crop of another I found the remains 

 of a Water-Pail and a shrew mouse almost entire." Dr. Kriiper informs me that, while often 

 seen in Greece in winter, it is not found in summer, and breeds neither there nor in Asia Minor, 

 though it nests on the large plains qf Macedonia. 



In Southern Germany it is but sparingly met with, young birds being more frequently 

 procured than adult ones. Dr. Frilsch says that it probably breeds in Bohemia, though he 

 cannot speak with certainty, as its nest does not appear to have been taken. The late 

 E. Seidensacher informed me that he had obtained it now and again in Styria; and Von 

 Tschusi Schmidhofen records it from Austria. On the Lower Danube and in Turkey it is 

 chiefly replaced by the Pallid Harrier, especially during the summer months ; but Mr. Farman 

 says, "on the moors to the eastward of Shumla, Hen-Harriers are extremely numerous during 

 the autumn months ; but at no other time of the year have I noticed them. At that season 



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