THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



29 



prey or survey the ground, after which it 

 resumes the same coursing flight. 



Migration. — This species in some parts 

 of Europe is migratory, but not, I believe, 

 in Britain. Morris, at the commencement 

 of his article on the Marsh Harrier, states 

 that they remain in this country "all the 

 year round," but finishes by saying that it 

 is a " regular migratory species." 



Food, — The food of this bird consists 

 of coots, dabchicks, water hens, frogs, snakes, 

 and such other small animals as frequent 

 its haunts. It will also feed upon dead 

 animals, and is even said to take fish as 

 they skim the surface of water. 



In confinement it may be treated to a 

 similar diet wich the addition of fresh meat. 



Habitat. — Formerly this species was 

 common on all the fenny districts of England, 

 especially those of the eastern counties, but 

 of late years it has become very scarce in 

 common with most other birds of its class. 

 It was also common in Wales, where 

 Montague counted nine at once feeding on 

 the carcase of a dead sheep. It is still met 

 with at times, and even in some cases breeds 

 in Britain, but is now considered a rare bird. 



Abroad the Marsh Harrier is found over 

 most of the central and southern counries 

 of Europe, but does not range far north. It 

 is also met with in North Africa. Eastward 

 it is common as far as India, but beyond that 

 it is rare, though specimens have been met 

 with as far as Japan. 



Nest. — The nest is composed of sticks, 

 sedges, and coarse grass. It is generally 

 placed upon one of those large tussocks of 

 sedge, so abundant in the swampy haunts 

 of this species. The nest may still occa- 

 sionally be met with in Ireland, Scotland, 

 and some parts of England. 



Eggs. — Fcur eggs are usually laid, 

 sometimes five. They are white, with a 

 faint tint of blue. The old bird begins to 

 sit early in May. 



NOTES ON TINEINA. 



COLEOPHORA PYRRHULIPENNELLA, Tisch. 



Take a good, strong, sweeping net, and 

 go to the nearest heath where plenty of 

 heather grows. Sweep the heath, and among 

 beetles, old ling-flowers, and other things, 

 you will probably see some long, slender, 

 black, shiny cases. These contain the larvae 

 of Coleophora pyrrlmlijpenneUa, and should 

 produce moths next June or July. The 

 moths are of the usual shape of the genus 

 with ochreous fore wings, with white lines 

 along the costa and inner margin. These 

 as well as all Coleophorous larvae, must be 

 kept in something where they can obtain a 

 good supply of air, such as a tree-pot with 

 muslin tied over the top. If these larvae 

 are not found now, they may be looked for 

 any time up to the end of April. Bnt instead 

 of finding this you may find a rough case 



! formed of bits of the leaves of heather. If 

 so, you probably have found the larva of 



! Coleophora pincicolella, Stn. 



This will be much more difficult to see, 

 and the best plan will be to put all the 



I sweepings in a bag, take them home, and 

 place them in a large flower-pot with muslin 

 tied over ; the larvae will then crawl up and 

 stick to the muslin. The moths, which are 

 ochreous grey, are due in July. Should any 

 of our friends succeed in finding thib latter 

 species we shall be glad to hear from them. 



THE WINTER MOTHS. 



See Plates i. and ii. 

 As the winter moths may be taken from 

 the present time till February or March, it 

 seems an appropriate time to give our read- 

 ers a hint or two for recognising the wingless, 

 or nearly v.-ingless females. There are three 

 stout-bodied moths with wingless females: 

 P. pilosaria, N. zonaria and hispidaria. In 

 the first of these the female is quite apterous, 

 having no trace of wings. The figure in 

 Mr. Newman's work shows rudimentary 

 wings in error. The other two have very 



