and some other British. Birds. 317 



to be obtained in such case is by dissection, it might naturally 

 be presumed that the author had really determined this long 

 desideratum by the knife. 



That male Ringtails have frequently occurred has been 

 well and repeatedly authenticated, but no well attested fact 

 of a female Hen Harrier is, I believe, to be found. Those 

 who have formed their own opinions" upon this subject will 

 not readily adopt that of another, without direct and incon- 

 trovertible proof ; and since there are two opposite opinions 

 founded equally upon pointed assertions, it will not be al- 

 lowed by one party that both the F. cydneus'and F. pygar^us 

 having been shot at the same nest, is a direct proof of their 

 being the same species. Nor, on the contrary, will the other 

 be convinced of the fact by a bare assertion that female Hen 

 Harriers have been observed ; for it may be said, that as 

 birds of prey plunder the nests of others, one of these 

 birds might be shot in that act of depredation. And the 

 circumstance of a single instance of a female bird appear- 

 ing in the habit of a Hen Harrier, may be disputed as equal- 

 ly liable to objection, since instances have not been wanting 

 to prove that female birds have occasionally assumed the 

 male plumage. Such difficulties could only be removed, 

 and the fact indisputably established, by finding the nest, 

 and rearing the young ; and T am happy in being now 

 enabled to lay before the Society the result of an experi- 

 ment of this nature, which must bring all controversy to 

 a conclusion. To a member of this Society, the Rev. Mr. 

 Vaughan, we are greatly indebted, as the discovery mi<rht yet 

 have been protracted to a series of years, but for his kind 

 communication and essential aid towards the development of 

 the subject. 



About the latter end of June, in the year 1695, my friend 

 informed ft;e that his servant h-d found the nest of a Hen 

 Harrier in some furze, which contained three young, and an 

 -addle ea;a ; at this time the infant birds were very small, and 

 only covered with white down : it was therefore determined ' 

 to take them as soon as we deemed them sufficiently lar^e to 

 be brought up by hand : when that period arrived, the servant 

 was directed to shoot one, and if possible both of the old 



birds 



