in immature plumage, it may be as well to notice a distinction between
the Hen Harrier and Montagu's Harrier, which has been pointed out by Mr.
Howard Saunders, and which holds good in all ages and in both sexes.
This distinction is, that in the Hen Harrier the outer web of the fifth
primary is notched, whereas in Montagu's Harrier it is plain, or, in
other words, the Hen Harrier has the exterior web of the primaries, up
to and including the fifth, notched, and in Montagu's Harrier this is
only the case as far as the fourth.[7] This distinction is very useful
in identifying young birds and females, which are sometimes very much
alike. In fully adult males the orange markings on the flanks and
thighs, and the greyish upper tail-coverts of Montagu's Harrier,
distinguish it immediately at a glance from the Hen Harrier, in which
those parts are white.

Montagu's Harrier is not included by Professor Ansted in his list, nor
is there a specimen in the Museum.


15. LONGEARED OWL. _Asiootus_, Linnaeus. French, "Hibou vulgaire,"
"Hibou moyen due."--The Long-eared Owl seems only a very rare and
accidental visitant to the Channel Islands. I have never met with it
myself, but Mr. Couch records the occurrence of one in the 'Zoologist'
for 1875, p. 4296:--"I have a Long-eared Owl, shot at St. Martin's on
the 9th of November in that year." This is the only occurrence I can be
sure of, except that Mr. Couch, about two years afterwards, sent me a
skin of a Guernsey-killed Long-eared Owl; but this may have been the
bird mentioned above, as he sent me no date with it.

As it is partially migratory, and its numbers in the British Islands,
especially in the Eastern Counties, are increased during the autumn by