HAWKS AND HARRIERS. 171 



or two below. Then the swoop is made. Even at this 

 distance a quail is sometimes quick enough to get off. I saw 

 one once escape in this way only to be chased by a hawk at 

 which I fired and missed, the result being a triple disappoint- 

 ment, and what might almost be considered for the quail a 

 providential escape, for the harrier lost his quarry, the 

 sparrow-hawk was scared from his by the gun, and I missed 

 mine viz. the hawk. 



Sportsmen who have read little respecting ornithology 

 will, perhaps, be still ignorant of the fact that the hen 

 harriers, male and female, differ so much in outward 

 appearance that they were long supposed to be of two 

 entirely different species. The first observer to discover 

 that this was not so was Willoughby, though the credit usually 

 goes to Montagu. The female was known as the ringtail, 

 and her colouring differs little in its browns, greys, and 

 similar mixtures from that of many other birds of prey. Seen 

 skimming the surface of the ground, one quite ignorant of 

 bird history might take her for a kite doing some unac- 

 customed hunting. Her partner on the other hand is quite 

 different. He is a harrier masquerading in the plumage of 

 a gull. There is no specimen of the male in the Shanghai 

 Museum at present, and I have many a time tried to get one 

 to supply the lack. But, though not very uncommon, the 

 "White Hawk, Blue Hawk, or Dove Hawk" he is known by 

 all these names is difficult to get near when you want him. 

 Only twice have I had good chances, both of which were 

 spoilt by circumstances. On the first occasion the bird was 

 directly between me and a village well within range: 

 on the other, he had selected a background which 

 contained an old village dame who was furtively watching 

 me out of the corner of her eye. So the Museum 

 remains without this handsome bird. The finest stuffed 

 specimen I ever saw belonged to Mr. Pearce, formerly of 

 Messrs. Weeks and Co. Its head is bluish grey, that tint 

 being the governing colour of the upper parts, as well as of 

 the neck and upper breast. The under parts are lighter, in 

 many cases a pure white; the tail coverts are white; the 

 central feathers of the tail blue, the others bluish grey 

 with dark bars; primaries on upper side dark brown to black. 

 Altogether the male hen harrier is a fine handsome bird, one 

 to stand and watch with pleasure as he quarters a moor or 

 marsh on the look-out for breakfast or supper. The harriers 

 are never far from the ground, on which or near which they 

 live and move, and have their being, the nest being either on 

 the soil itself or in some low bush. 



It would be an extremely fascinating task to try to 

 unravel the reason why there should be so marked a difference 



