CHAPTER 



LXXX YI. 



The Hen Harrier. 



Falco cijaneus, Lin.; Le Lanier Ceudre, Brif . ; L'Oiseau 

 St. Martin, Buf. 



Description and Chaeacter. — The Hen Harrier, or Blue 

 Hawk, is a large, powerful bird, more sullen and less 

 tractable than either the Kestrel or Sparrow Hawk. It 

 is less common than either of these varieties. It is 17in. 

 to 18in. in length, the tail being 7 Jin. ; the breadth of 

 the bird, from tip to tip of the spread wings, is 3ft. 3in., 

 and its weight, 12oz. to 13oz. The bill is black, the upper 

 mandible being much hooked ; around the base there are 

 a number of long, erect feathers, which somewhat re- 

 semble bristles. The cere is greenish yellow, and the irides 

 reddish brown. Eound the edges of the eyelids are rims of 

 dusky yellow. There is a sort of feathered disk surround- 

 ing each eye, slightly resembling that of the Owls. Above 

 each eye is a faint line of white. The upper parts of the 

 body are bluish grey, the edges of the feathers being tinged 

 with russet grey ; the back of the head is white, spotted 

 with pale reddish brown. The primary wing feathers are 

 black, the third and fourth being the longest, and the 

 secondaries greyish ash colour, spotted with black, forming 

 a bar across the wings ; the two centre feathers of the tail 

 are grey, and the outer web of the remainder the same 

 colour. The inner web is white, and marked with blackish 

 brown bars ; the breast, belly, sides, thighs, vent, and wing 

 linings, are white. On the sides of the breast are a few 



