MARSH HARRIER. 93 



plumage is the bird so exquisitely figured by Bewick, under 

 the title of Moor Buzzard. 



The one mentioned by Latham is supposed to have been 

 still younger, as they are .darker, soon after they leave the 

 nest, than at any other period. In these early states of 

 plumage it forms the Falco aeruginosus of Linneus, and arun- 

 dinaceous of Bechstein. 



When more advanced in age, about their second summer, 

 these birds begin to acquire some of the variegated colours 

 of maturity : the dark ground colour of the plumage becomes 

 more rufous on the thighs and flanks ; the tail paler ; and 

 on the ruff, shoulders, and front of the neck, some yellowish 

 white spots appear, and a gloss of ashy grey becomes visible 

 upon some of the larger coverts of the wings. 



In the third and fourth year these approaches to maturity 

 become more and more apparent, and, when the full plumage 

 is attained, at the age of four years, the bird presents the 

 tints and distribution of colours represented in the plate. 

 At this time, the back is rufous brown, the tail pale grey, 

 without any bars, and the under surface of this and of the 

 quill-feathers plain silvery-white. 



No. 18 is the egg of the Marsh Harrier. 



