14 
CIRCUS CINERACEUS. 
The under surface continues to alter until the bird is fully matured : but the adult dress, after it is acquired, varies not 
a little in different individuals. The following is a description of an example in the British Museum, which, 
judging by the regular alteration of character during adolescence, appears to be a fully matured bird. 
Adult female. Above sepia-brown, pervaded on the back with greyish ; the head margined with rufous, and the hind 
neck with fulvous, the centres of the feathers being blackish brown ; median wing-coverts broadly margined with 
rufous-buff as in the younger bird ; terminal portion of primaries and the secondaries deep brown, with a purple 
lustre; the outer webs of the longer primaries greyish, and both webs barred with narrow bands of blackish 
brown ; inner webs near the base isabelline grey ; upper tail-coverts white, with greyish-brown bars near the tips 
of the longer feathers ; central tail-feather^ drab-grey, with four narrow bars and a broad subterminal band of 
deep brown, the remainder crossed with the same number of wider bands, the interspaces paling to white on the 
lateral feathers, where the bars are narrower again, and tinged with rufous at the base. 
Face and a small space above the ears white ; the gular band deep brown, margined with rufous and tinged with ashy ; 
ruff blending with the throat and fore neck, which are rufescent, with broad cinereous- brown stripes ; beneath, from 
the chest downwards, fulvescent whitish, with bold central stripes of rufous-brown on the chest, and of rufous on 
the lower parts ; under wing-coverts rufescent white, boldly dashed with rufous ; edge of wing-lining whitish. 
Soft parts as in the adult male. 
Length * to front of cere 18-5 inches, culmen 0'7 ; wing 14-0 to 15-3 ; tail 10-0 ; tarsus 2-3 ; mid toe 1-15, claw (straight) 
058 ; expanse 43 - 0. 
The following are measurements of several European and Indian examples of adult females, which are all exceeded by 
those of a male from N. Bengal : — 
Wing. 
Tail. 
Tarsus. 
in. 
in. 
in. 
14-3 
9-1 
2-5 
14-3 
9-0 
2-4 
14-6 
9-0 
2-4 
14-6 
9-5 
2-3 
Distribution . — This widely dispersed Harrier is, as might be expected, a winter or cool-weather visitant 
to India and Ceylon, arriving in the latter place about October and departing again in April. After concen- 
trating itself in considerable force in the Jaffna peninsula, the ad jacent isles, and on the coast of the Northern 
Province, it spreads down both sides of the island, but does not apparently wander into the interior after the 
manner of the last species. On the west coast it is chiefly confined to such open localities as the cinnamon- 
gardens of Negombo, Colombo, Morotuwa, &c., and likewise affects the almost inpenetrable swamp called the 
Mutturaj aw ella. In the Galle district it never came under my notice as an identified bird, but may have 
figured among the many observed on the wing between the port and Baddegama ; in the south-east, however, 
it occurs, but not so frequently as in the north. During a visit, in March 1876, to Jaffna and the neighbour- 
hood, I found it at several islands in Palk’s Straits, among which were the twin islets of Erinativoe, on which 
several were seen in the course of a day’s excursion. In the island of Manaar and at Aripu I likewise 
observed and procured it. 
Montagu’s Harrier has a very similar geographical range to the next species. In Europe it is perhaps 
more generally distributed, as it extends in the summer to the British Isles, and is also common in Spain, but 
chiefly during the winter, whereas the Pale Harrier docs not move westward of 8°E. long. It docs not confine 
itself to the south of the continent alone, for it has been recorded from both Heligoland and Sardinia. It is 
found in Scandinavia, but does not appear to range into Northern Russia, although it inhabits the south of that 
country. Prom the Caucasus it extends, like the last bird, through Palestine, to the elevated region of 
Turkestan, from which Severtzoff records it. It is abundant in India in the cool season ; but though Jerdon 
remarks that he found it in all parts of the empire, the experience of recent observers, as appearing in ‘ Stray 
leathers, tends to show that it is more local than either the Marsh- or the Pale Harrier. Mr. Hume does 
not record it from Sindh, and Mr. Ball states that it is not common in Chota Nagpur. In the Deccan, 
Mr. Fairbank says it is common ; and it occurs, but not abundantly, in the Kliandala district. It is found 
in Burmah, and has been obtained as far east as the Yangtsze river in China. 
* Prom the flesh in Ceylonese examples. 
