22 THE BIRDS OF SUSSEX. 



men of this bird^ in very fine plumage, on the 2nd of 

 Octoberj 1858. The crop was very much distended with the 

 remains of a bird, apparently a Moorhen. Mr. Vidler told 

 him that be had often seen the Marsh-Harrier in the marshes, 

 but had never before shot one. In the same journal, 1879 

 (p. 19), Mr. Jeflfery records his having seen a Marsh-Harrier 

 which had been shot at Sidlesham, a few days before, and 

 had been purchased by Mr. Fuller, of Chichester*. 



The Marsh-Harrier feeds on any waterfowl or other birds 

 he can manage to capture, as well as on such small quadru- 

 peds as he may meet with, and is also very partial to fish. 



HEN-HARRIER. 



Circus cyaneus. 



I SAW at Henfield a female which had been shot at Wynd- 

 ham, by Michael Harmes of that place, December 28th, 

 1850. On the 10th of March, 1854, I examined two speci- 

 mens which had been shot near Hailsham. They had 

 neither of them attained the most perfect mature male 

 plumage, one of them having a considerable patch of mottled 

 brown feathers on the back of the neck, and the breast in 

 front delicately spotted with rusty red, the rest being pure 

 white. A slight tinge of reddish brown also remained on 

 the points of the scapulars. The other had a very slight 

 portion of the mottled brown remaining on the nape of 

 the neck, the blue-grey of the upper and the pure white 

 of the under parts being particularly clear and beautiful. 



* Mr. Jeffery, in his private note-book, which he has kindly lent 

 me, states that a female was killed at Sidlesham on the 23rd of May, 

 1861, and is in his collection. 



