112 
MARSH HAWK. 
to build on the ground, or on low limbs of trees. Pennant ob- 
serves, that it sometimes changes to a rust-coloured variety, 
except on the rump and tail. It is found, as was to be expected, 
at Hudson’s Bay, being native in both this latitude and that of 
Britain. We are also informed that it is common in the open 
and temperate parts of Russia and Siberia; and extends as far 
as lake Baikal, though it is said not to be found in the north of 
Europe. * 
The Marsh Hawk is twenty-one inches long, and three feet 
eleven inches in extent; cere and legs yellow, the former ting- 
ed with green, the latter long and slender; nostril large, trian- 
gular, this, and the base of the bill, thickly covered with strong 
curving hairs, that rise from the space between the eye and bill, 
arching over the base of the bill and cere — this is a particular 
characteristic; bill blue, black at the end; eye dark hazel; carti- 
lage overhanging the eye, and also the eyelid, bluish green; 
spot under the eye, and line from the front over it, brownish 
white; head above, and back, dark glossy chocolate brown, the 
former slightly seamed with bright ferruginous; scapulars spot- 
ted with the same, under the surface; lesser coverts, and band 
of the wing, here and there edged with the same; greater cov- 
erts and primaries tipt with whitish; quills deep brown at the 
extreme half, some of the outer ones hoary on the exterior 
edge; all the primaries yellowish white on the inner vanes and 
upper half, also barred on the inner vanes with black; tail long, 
extending three inches beyond the wings, rounded at the end, 
and of a pale sorrel colour, crossed by four broad bars of very 
dark brown, the two middle feathers excepted, which are bai’- 
red with deep and lighter shades of chocolate brown; chin pale 
ferruginous; round the neck a collar of bright rust colour; breast, 
belly and vent, pale rust, shafted with hrown; femorals long, 
tapering, and of the same pale rust tint; legs feathered near an 
inch below the knee. This was a female. The male differs chief- 
ly in being rather lighter, and somewhat less. 
Pallas, as quoted by Pennant. 
