174 
BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
rufous on the outer pair_, and the interspaces changing in a similar manner 
from ashy to whitish ; wing- coverts ashy grey, tipped darker ; secondaries 
silvery grey, with a black bar across ; the first six primaries black_, the 
others silvery grey ; tertiaries like the back ; lower plumage from the 
breast downwards white streaked with chestnut ; axillaries white with 
broad chestnut marks. 
Adult female. Head and hind neck brown streaked with rufous ; back_, 
rump_, scapulars, tertiaries, and wing-coverts dark brown, with indistinct 
fulvous margins to the feathers, the wing-coverts with broader margins ; 
upper tail-coverts white ; tail brown, tipped paler and cross-banded with 
darker brown, the bands becoming rufous towards the outer feathers, and 
the interspaces whitish ; sides of the head brown streaked with rufous ; 
ear-coverts dark brown ; a patch of feathers under the eye whitish ; lower 
plumage buflpy white, with elongated rufous centres to the feathers ; quills 
dark brown barred with darker brown, the primaries and primary-coverts 
tinged with grey externally. 
The young have the head and neck rich rufous with brown streaks ; the 
upper plumage brown with rufous edges ; the upper tail-coverts whitish, 
broadly edged with rufous ; a broad patch under the eye extending to the 
ear-coverts whitish ; hinder part of ear-coverts dark brown ; entire lower 
plumage rufous, with a few narrow black streaks ; tail rufous, banded with 
brown ; quills brown, more or less barred with darker brown. 
Legs and feet yellow; iris bright yellow (brownish yellow in the female); 
bill black. 
Length 17 inches, tail 9*5, wing 15, tarsus 2*2, bill from gape I'l. The 
female is rather larger than the male. The second, third and fourth 
primaries only are emarginated on the outer webs, and the emargination 
on the second primary is quite an inch below the coverts. 
It is difficult to comprise in any description the various phases of 
plumage which this species undergoes before it becomes adult. The cha- 
racter of the emarginations on the primary-quills will be found the safest 
guide to identification. 
Montagues Harrier is stated by Mr. Blyth to be found in Pegu and 
Tenasserim ; and Capt. Wardlaw Ramsay writes (Ibis, 1875, p. 351) that 
he thought he once saw this species in Karennee. It is common enough 
in India and China, and it is therefore a very likely bird to be found in all 
parts of Burmah. 
This Harrier is found, according to season, over the greater part of 
Europe, Africa and Asia. To Burmah and the southern portion of the 
continent of Asia it is merely a winter visitor. In its winter migration it 
goes as far as the Moar river in the Malay peninsula, where Lieut. 
Kelham secured a Harrier which he identifies with the present 
species. 
