276 MARSH HA WK. 



meadows and salt marshes, over which it sails very low, 

 making frequent circuitous sweeps over the same ground, in 

 search of a species of mouse, figured in plate 50, and very 

 abundant in such situations. It occasionally flaps the wings, 

 but is most commonly seen sailing about within a few feet of 

 the surface. . They are usually known by the name of the mouse 

 hawk along the sea-coast of New Jersey, where they are very 

 common. Several were also brought me last winter from the 

 meadows below Philadelphia. Having never seen its nest, I 

 am unable to describe it from my own observation. It is said 

 by European writers to build on the ground, or on low limbs 

 of trees. Mr Pennant observes that it sometimes changes to 

 a rust-coloured variety, except on the rump and tail. It is 

 found, as was to be expected, at Hudson's Bay, being native 

 in both this latitude and that of Britain. We are also informed 

 that it is common in the open and temperate parts of Kussfa 

 and Siberia ; and extends as far as Lake Baikal, though it is 

 said not to be found in the north of Europe.* 



The marsh hawk is twenty-one inches long, and three feet 

 eleven inches in extent ; cere and legs, yellow, the former 

 tinged with green, the latter long and slender ; nostril, large, 

 triangular ; this and the base of the bill thickly covered with 

 strong curving hairs, that rise from the space between the eye 

 and bill, arching over the base of the bill and cere ; this is a 

 particular characteristic ; bill, blue, black at the end ; eye, 

 dark hazel ; cartilage overhanging the eye, and also the eyelid, 

 bluish green ; spot under the eye, and line from the front over 

 it, brownish white ; head above and back, dark glossy chocolate 

 brown, the former slightly seamed with bright ferruginous ; 

 scapulars, spotted with the same under the surface; lesser 

 coverts and band of the wing, here and there edged with the 

 same ; greater coverts and primaries, tipt with whitish ; quills, 

 deep brown at the extreme half, some of the outer ones hoary 

 on the exterior edge ; all the primaries, yellowish white on 

 the inner vanes and upper half, also barred on the inner vanes 

 * Pallas, as quoted by Pennant. 



