Spain, but personally I never knew of more than three 

 or four nests in close proximity : these nests are generally 

 placed upon bare ground in small open spots amongst 

 low vegetation in the dry marshes, or amongst the 

 standing corn ; we never found one in the reed-beds that 

 are so dear to the Marsh-Harrier. A few dry twigs or 

 pieces of reed-stem, with a lining of sedge, are the usual 

 nesting-materials. The eggs are white with a very slight 

 greenish-blue tinge, and occasionally show a few pale 

 rust-coloured spots ; four is the usual complement. I 

 feel certain that the male bird occasionally takes his 

 turn at incubation. 



The dark brown or black variety figured in one 

 of my Plates is by no means uncommon : I have at 

 this time of writing, November 1893, a very fine 

 living specimen of this race received during the past 

 summer from a nest in France ; in this individual 

 the hides are very nearly as dark as the pupils, and 

 exhibit a marked contrast in this respect to those of its 

 companion of the same species but of the normal type 

 of plumage, whose irides are pale yellow. 



This Harrier, according to Yarrell, has a wide range, 

 and has been recorded as occurring in Caithness, Ceylon, 

 the Canaries, and China. I have frequently observed 

 this bird from the train whilst travelling through France 

 in the summer months. I was assured by the late 

 John Barr that he took several Montagu's Harriers near 

 Chalons-sur-Marne with the trained Falcons belonging 

 to the Champagne Hawking Club, during his term of 

 service as falconer to that society. A few of the present 

 species spend the winter in Andalucia. 



