MO Vi' AG U’S HARR I ER. 
While still in the down the youngsters of this species differ greatly from those of the Hen Hail 
shortly after hatching they exhibit a dull white down, which, as the bird increases in size assumes a warm 
red tint. This colour fades considerably after death, but never approaches the dirty white or dull leaden 
hue which pervades the down on the nestlings of C. cyaneus. 
The colouring of the soft parts of a female and brood obtained on the 3rd of July, 1883, may jo 
described as follows Female : iris pale warm hazel, with bright yellow ring round the pupil, pale yellow 
ring round eyelids; tips of upper and lower mandibles black, merging gradually into a pale blue slate 
towards the cere, which was bright chrome-yellow ; legs and feet deep chrome, claws black. Young : beaks 
black at the tips, continuing a dark horn up to the cere; cere yellow, inside of mouth a pale flesh-tint; 
the skin between the base of the beak and the eye showing up through the bristles a livid slate-tint; iris 
dark hazel, a pale yellow ring round eyelid; legs and feet Naples yellow, claws horn. 
This brood consisted of three young birds and one egg, two of the youngsters being much alike in 
size, though one was rather more advanced and stronger; these both exhibited a warm red blush on the 
down. The third juvenile was much smaller and weaker, its naked skin being barely covered by a scanty 
white down. The manner in which this tiny mite sought repose was most singular, the head, with its 
Scraggy neck fully extended, being curled up under the body. At times, when rolling about uneasily, 
it would elevate its legs above the bare wing-joints, and scratch violently with the claws at the back 
of its head. The two larger birds now and then fought viciously, but speedily became reconciled and 
nestled down together. TV hen awaiting their food, one would occasionally seize the distended crop of its 
companion, and endeavour to tear away a portion with its sharp hooked beak ; the flesh showing red through 
the down and bearing a certain resemblance to raw meat, in all probability led to this mistake. After 
remaining in captivity for about a fortnight, the whole family, though taking their food with avidity in 
the first instance, gradually became weaker, in spite of the most careful attention, and dropped off one 
by one. Doubtless the brood were taken far too young to be successfully reared; the food also (the flesh 
of small birds sliced up raw) with which they were supplied was probably unsuitable. 
I carefully measured the eggs taken from a couple of nests of Montagu’s Harrier during the summer 
of 1883, and discovered they were considerably smaller than those figured on the plates in a recently 
published work on British birds ; one clutch were especially round and small, and proved to be three 
sixteenths of an inch less in length. 
It is many yearn since I had an opportunity of examining a nest of this species placed anion- 
tee and the compos, t, on of those that came under my notice has entirely slipped my memory. For a 
couple of seasons about hue and twenty years ago, I procured eggs which must have belonged to this 
peces on an extensive stretch of tee, known in the district as the -horthy field,” near Onfield I 
e e s of Sussex. One or two of the lords wore shot by the keeper, who termed them Marsh-Buzsards the 
it h “ the r** 
were placed would also leave little doubt on the subject. In the teaM i°. 6 countl 7 10 which the nests 
simply constructed, consisting merely of a scanty enlleoti r *1 a ' , ,K| ad-districts the cradle is very 
tees and grasses scratched t“ “ **““ * 
the plumage. During of'issll' darker 0,1 thC colouri “8 °f 
eastern counties in the vicinity of his nest’ »ne »f the 
aiso several feathers of an ash-brown, intetecd 111 the 1 I"" “ Md were 
Whether this bird was one of the dark variety, or only too yomm rem ™<!er of the plumage, 
had no means of ascertaining: I remark J’that t ZZ d - 11“ « "'I * 
° a ly " lUl a fine adult male frequently 
