26 
FALCO CYANEUS. 
second section, the changes are most extraordinary 
since, while the adult male is of a very uniform \i$ 
colour, approaching- to white, the female and young at 
very dark, and much spotted and handed : they are aM 
much more conspicuously distinguished by the r\f 
facial ring. 
These birds are bold, and somewhat distinguish*! 
for their agility, especially when compared with ft 1 
buzzards ; and in gracefulness of flight they are hard)! 
inferior to the true falcons. They do not chase w* 
on the wing, and fly usually at no great height, makirf 
frequent circuitous sweeps, rarely flapping their win$ 
and strii-ce their prey upon the ground. Their fof 
consists of mice, and the young of other quadruped? 
reptiles, fishes, young birds, especially of those th? 
build on the ground, or even adult water birds, seiziflj 
them by surprise, and do not disdain insects ; for wliw 
habits they are ranked among the ignoble birds of pr ei 
Unlike most, other large birds of their family, tlk! 
quarter their victims previously to swallowing Iheit 
an operation which they always perform on the ground 
Morasses and level districts are their favourite haul'® 
being generally observed sailing low along the surfin'® 
or m the neighbourhood of waters, migrating- wh*j 
they are frozen. They build in mai*shy places, a mot! 
high grass, bushes, or in the low forks or branches 4 
trees ; the female laying four or five round eo-n- Si entire)! 
white, or whitish, without spots. During the nupti* 
season, the males are observed to soar to a consider;^! 
height, and remain suspended in the air for a leno-tb d 
time. 
The male hen-harrier is eighteen inches lon<v m 
forty-one in extent ; the bill is blackish horn colour 
the cere greenish yellow, almost hidden by the bristll 
projecting from the base of the hill ; the irides 
yellow, d lie head, neck, npper part of the bre.n* 
hack, scapulars, upper wing-coverts, and middle taS 
feathers, pale bluish gray, somewhat darker on $ 
scapulars ; the upper coverts, being pure white, consf 
tute what is called a white rump, though that part ^ 
