H E N - H A R R I E R .
HEN-HARRIER.
CIRCUS CYANEUS (Linn.),
Falco cyaneus, Linn. S. N. i. p. 126 (1766).
Circus cyaneus, Macg. iii. p. 366; Hewitson, i. p. 47; Yarr.
ed. 4, i. p. 132; Dresser, v. p. 431.
Falco pygargus, Naum. i. p. 391.
Busard St.-Martin, French; Korn-Weihe, German; Ce-
nizo, Spanish.
This bird, which formerly was to be met with more
or less frequently in all the uncultivated districts of any
extent in the British Islands, is now, with the exception
of a few localities, only known as a casual and by
no means a common bird of passage. Every man’s
hand is against the Harrier, not only on account of its
ravages amongst young poultry and game birds, but
also because eggs of all sorts are a very favourite dainty
with all the European members of this family ; to what
extent the Hen-Harrier may atone for delinquencies of
this kind by the destruction of mice and voles I am
unable to say, as my acquaintance with this species in
our country is very limited. I have, however, had
ample opportunities for observation of the habits of the
Hen-Harrier abroad, and it is from my foreign experiences
that I mainly quote in the following remarks.