HEN-HAEEIEE. 



CIRCUS CYANEUS {Linn.). 



Falco cyaneus, Linn. S. N. i. p. 126 (1766). 



Circus cyaneus, Macg. iii. p. 366 ; Heivitson, i. p. 47; Yarr. 



ed. 4, i. p. 132; Dresser, v. p. 431. 

 Falco pygargus, Naum. i. p. 391. 



Busard St.-Martin, French ; Korn- Weihe, German ; Ce- 

 nizo, Spanish. 



This bird, which formerly was to be met with more 

 or less frequently in all the uncultivated districts of any 

 extent in the British Islands, is now, with the exception 

 of a few localities, only known as a casual and by 

 no means a common bird of passage. Every man's 

 hand is against the Harrier, not only on account of its 

 ravages amongst young poultry and game birds, but 

 also because eggs of all sorts are a very favourite dainty 

 with all the European members of this family ; to what 

 extent the Hen-Harrier may atone for delinquencies of 

 this kind by the destruction of mice and voles I am 

 unable to say, as my acquaintance with this species in 

 our country is very limited. I have, however, had 

 ample opportunities for observation of the habits of the 

 Hen-Harrier abroad, and it is from my foreign expe- 

 riences that I mainly quote in the following remarks. 



