bird, and it seems that very fe.v specimens have been 

 obtained in this dress in our country. The other Plate 

 represents a bird in its first year, and was taken from a 

 living specimen at Lilford. 



The Marsh-Harrier is almost omnivorous, and par- 

 ticularly addicted to devouring eggs ; most of my readers 

 who have pursued Snipes in the south or east of Europe 

 will agree with me in considering the present birds as 

 unmitigated nuisances, not only on account of their 

 carrying off any wounded Snipes, but also because their 

 continual harrying of the ground often renders the 

 Snipes unapproachable, or drives them right away. In 

 our fen-country this bird was generally known as the 

 Moon-Buzzard, and I have heard marvellous stories of 

 its former abundance and depredations in the neighbour- 

 hood of Whittlesea Mere ; now I do not suppose that a 

 Moon-Buzzard is to be seen in that district more than 

 once perhaps in three years. I have myself seen several 

 of this species in the " Broad " country of Norfolk, one 

 in Cambridgeshire, one in Northamptonshire, and many 

 years ago a good many in Ireland and Wales. 



