bird, and it seems that very few specimens have been
obtained in this dress in our country. The other Plate
represents a bird in its first year, and was taken from a
living specimen at Lilford.
The Marsh-Harrier is almost omnivorous, and particularly
addicted to devouring eggs; most of my readers
who have pursued Snipes in the south or east of Europe
will agree with me in considering the present birds as
unmitigated nuisances, not only on account of their
carrying off any wounded Snipes, but also because their
continual harrying of the ground often renders the
Snipes unapproachable, or drives them right away. In
our fen-country this bird was generally known as the
Moon-Buzzard, and I have heard marvellous stories of
its former abundance and depredations in the neighbourhood
of Whittlesea Mere; now I do not suppose that a
Moon-Buzzard is to be seen in that district more than
once perhaps in three years. I have myself seen several
of this species in the “ Broad” country of Norfolk, one
in Cambridgeshire, one in Northamptonshire, and many
years ago a good many in Ireland and Wales.