THE HARRIERS. 
135 
Range outside the British Islands. — The Marsh-Hamer is found 
Eenerally throughout Europe in suitable locahtic.s, but does 
not extend very far north, though it breeds hi Southern 
Sweden, and as far eastward as the Valley of the Ob, and even 
extends to Turkestan. It has never been recorded from 
Central or Eastern Siberia, being replaced m the latter country 
by Circus spilonoius, a very distinct species, easily recognised 
in its adult plumage, but scarcely distinguishable in its young 
stages from C. ceruginosus. The supposed occurrence of our 
Marsh-llarrier in Japan is doubtless a mistake, and the species 
which has been found there must be C. spilonoUts._ 1 he 
winter home of the Marsh-Harrier is in the Indian Peninsula, 
where it is also believed by Mr. Hume to breed, when the. 
flooded condition of the country renders suitable spots avail- 
able, and it is also said to wander as far as the Pransvaal in 
South Africa, though here it meets with an a lied species, 
C. the young of which is so very similar to that ot 
C. ceruginosus, that great caution is necessary in the deter- 
mination of specimens from the countries inhabited by other 
species of Marsh-Harriers. In most of the Mediterranean 
countries the species breeds, receiving a great influx of indivi- 
duals in the winter, when the birds bred m the north flock 
southward on migration. 
HaMts.— Like the other Harriers, the present species feeds 
on small mammals, snakes, and other small jeptiles, and a so 
devours a large number of eggs and young birds. It will also 
take sitting birds by surprise, but does not seem capable o 
capturing them in full flight, though it will seize a wounded 
bird and follow the sportsman in the hope of picking up 
some quarry. Colonel Irby writes of the species m Spain 
“ The Marsli-Harriers are a perfect pest to the sportsman, as, 
slowly hunting along in front, they put up every Snipe and 
Duck that lie in their course, making them unsettled and 
wild. Cowardly and ignoble, they are the terror of all the 
poultry which are in their districts, continually carrying oH 
chickens, and, like other Harriers, they are twribly destruc- 
tive to the eggs and young of all birds. On account o 
these propensities, I never let off a Marsh-Harr^r, un ess i 
spoiled sport to fire at one. Sometimes when at Casas Viejas, 
and the Snipe were scarce, to pass away the time, we usea to 
