190 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH INLAND BIRDS 
mixture of mottled browns and greys, often of a 
warm reddish tint, but sometimes more of a general 
walnut tone. There are some small white spots 
on the wings. The under parts are whitish, much 
streaked with brown. The hen bird is a good deal 
larger than the cock. Occasionally the Tawny 
Owl will valiantly pounce and strike at the head of 
an intruder into the neighbourhood of its nest, 
while it will often show a good deal of fight before 
leaving its eggs when it is sitting. 
MARSH HARRIER. 
{Circus aeruginosus.) 
Moor Buzzard, Bald Buzzard. — The Marsh 
Harrier, like too many other members of the great 
Falcon order on which we now enter, has become 
almost more a subject of history than of natural 
history in the England of to-day. It is a typical 
bird of prey of the fens, and it vanished with them. 
Pairs still attempt to nest from time to time in 
Norfolk, and may now and then succeed in bring- 
ing up a brood. It is also seen occasionally during 
spring and autumn on migration. It is a large Hawk, 
nearly as large as the Buzzard, but less heavy of 
