Class II. RINGTAIL. 241 



The legs in color and shape resemble those of 

 the preceding. 



These birds are extremely destructive to 

 young poultry, and to the feathered game : they 

 fly near the ground, skimming the surface in 

 search of prey. They breed on the ground, and 

 never are observed to settle on trees. Willugh- 

 hy says, that the eggs are white, much besmear- 

 ed with red. 



In the earlier editions of the British Zoology % 

 the hen harrier and the ringtail were consi- 

 dered as the same species, and it is certain that 

 the opinion was well founded. In the last edi- 

 tion Mr. Pennant says, " The ringtail has ge- 

 " nerally been supposed to be the female of the 

 " former; but from some late observations by 

 " the infallible rule of dissection, males have 

 " been found of this species." Doctor Latham 

 in the first volume of the supplement to his 

 Synopsis of birds, has treated the subject much 

 at length, and with his usual accuracy. He ac- 

 counts for the circumstance, which deceived Mr. 

 Pennant, of a male being observed with the 

 plumage of the ringtail, from its being ascer- 

 tained that it does not assume the grey color till 

 the second year. M. Beckstein, in the Geme- 

 innussige Naturf: Deutsch : saySj that the hen 

 vol. I. R 



