MONTAGU’S HARRIER. Female, and dark form of Male.
MONTAGU’S HABBIEB.
CIRCUS CINERACEUS (Montagu).
Falco cineraceus, Montagu, Orn. Diet. i. F. 2 (1802); Naum.
i. p. 402.
Circus cineraceus, Macg. iii. p. 378; Hewitson, i. p. 49;
Yarr. ed. 4, i. p. 138 ; Dresser, v. p. 423.
Busard cendre, French; Wiesen- Weihe, German; Cenizo,
Rapina, Spanish.
This species was first distinguished and separated from
the Hen-Harrier by the acute naturalist whose name it
bears, in his ‘ Ornithological Dictionary/ published in
1802, under the name of Ash-coloured Harrier, Falco
cineraceus. No raptorial bird has now a chance of
becoming common in this country, but I suspect that in
the southern counties of England, at all events, this
Harrier was formerly the most abundant of its genus
during the summer months, as it most assuredly is at
the present time, although it generally meets with
“ short shrift ” from gamekeepers and collectors. I
am, however, glad to say that I am personally acquainted
with several recent instances in which nests of Montagu’s
Harrier have been carefully protected by those most
nearly concerned, and the young birds allowed to grow
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