HEN HARRIER. 97 



still remains about the neck, the smaller coverts of the wings, 

 the thighs, and part of the belly, intermixed with the male 

 plumage ; the top of the head and wreath have also a mixture 

 of the feathers of both sexes ; the quills, scapulars, and tail 

 are completely masculine ; in the last of these are a few small 

 broken bars of cinereous brown, on a white ground, in the 

 three outer feathers, the exterior margins are cinereous grey ; 

 the six middle feathers are almost wholly grey, and the mark- 

 ings are very obscure beneath. 



" From the account here given of the Hen Harrier, it is 

 quite clear that the change of plumage is effected in the 

 autumn of the year after it leaves the nest, and not in the 

 same year ; and as it is between three and four months in 

 the act of moulting, it is certainly very extraordinary that so 

 few instances have occurred of its being killed in that state 

 which might have been decisive. That such has been taken, 

 is evident by the description of Falco Hudsonius of authors, 

 which is doubtless this bird in change of plumage. 



" The nest of this bird was composed of sticks rudely 

 put together, was nearly flat, and placed on some fallen 

 branches of furze, that supported it just above the ground." 



This Harrier is less attached to marshy places than the 

 two other species ; it frequents in preference cultivated land 

 or open heaths, and, as country of that description abounds 

 in England, it is consequently a well known species in most 

 parts ; it is found also in Scotland and Ireland. In other 

 parts of Europe it is met with more or less frequently, ac- 

 cording to the different nature of the several countries. In 

 Holland it is far less abundant than the Marsh Harrier and 

 Montagu's Harrier. In Switzerland it is scarce, but in many 

 other parts of the Continent it is well known, and extends 

 to the eastern confines of Asia. It is found in many parts 

 of Africa, and is generally believed to inhabit America, both 

 in the northern and southern hemisphere ; but the specimens 



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