MONTAGU'S HAEKIEE. 



CIRCUS CTNERACEUS (Montagu). 



Falco cineraceus, Montagu, Orn. Diet. i. F. 2 (1802) ; Naum. 

 i. p. 402. 



Circus cineraceus, Macg. iii. p. 378; Hewitson, i. p. 49; 

 Yarr. ed. 4, i. p. 138 ; Dresser, v. p. 423. 



Busard cendre, French ; Wiesen- fVeihe, German ; Cenizo, 

 Rapiua, Spanish. 



This species was first distinguished and separated from 

 the Hen-Harrier by the acute naturalist whose name it 

 bears, in his ' Ornithological Dictionary,' published in 

 1802, under the name of Ash-coloured Harrier, Falco 

 cineraceus. No raptorial bird has now a chance of 

 becoming common in this country, but I suspect that in 

 the southern counties of England, at all events, this 

 Harrier was formerly the most abundant of its genus 

 during the summer months, as it most assuredly is at 

 the present time, although it generally meets with 

 " short shrift " from gamekeepers and collectors. I 

 am, however, glad to say that I am personally acquainted 

 with several recent instances in which nests of Montagu's 

 Harrier have been carefully protected by those most 

 nearly concerned, and the young birds allowed to grow 



