MONTAGU'S HARRIER. 

 Circus cineraceus (Montagu). 

 Plate 30. 



Colonel Montagu, from whom this species takes its name, was the first to 

 distinguish it from the Hen-Harrier, having published an account of his discovery 

 in his Ornithological Dictionary in 1802. It is a migratory bird, visiting 

 the fenny districts of the eastern counties of England every summer and breeding 

 regularly there when left undisturbed, and occasionally in other parts, as it did 

 in Surrey in 1907. It is only a rare visitant to Scotland and Ireland, only about 

 seven having occurred in the former, and a dozen in the latter country. 



This species is plentiful in suitable localities over a great part of Europe, 

 North-west Africa, and Asia, and spends the winter in Africa and India. 



It makes a slight nest of twigs and dry grasses among furze or heather in 

 open places, or of sedges in the fens, and lays four or five eggs of a very pale 

 bluish-green, occasionally marked with some rust-coloured spots. 



Montagu's Harrier much resembles the Hen-Harrier, but is slightly less in 

 size and more slender in shape, while having its wings of more proportionate 

 length, and therefore showing more buoyancy of flight. 



Howard Saunders has pointed out in his Manual of British Birds that 

 Montagu's Harrier " may infallibly be recognized by the outer web of its 5th 

 primary having no emargination." 



It lives principally on frogs, lizards, and other reptiles, as well as on eggs, 

 small mammals, and birds. 



A very dark brown or black form of this Harrier often occurs, which in a 

 live specimen belonging to the late Lord Lilford, had the eyes as dark, if not 

 darker, than a Falcon's, instead of the usual yellow colour. 



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