92 



BIRDS OF PREY. 



MISSISSIPPI KITE. 



(Falco plumbeus, Gmelin. Bonap. Annal. Lye. p. 30. Faico MiS' 

 sissij)2nensis, Wilson. Am. Orn. iii. p. 80. pi. 25. fig. 1. [adult 

 male]. ) 



Spec. Charact. — Blackish-ash; head, neck, and beneath whitish- 

 ash color ; the tail and cere black ; feet and irids bright red. — 

 Young, bluish-black ; head and beneath whitish, spotted with 

 bluish-brown ; the tail with 3 white bands beneath; the cere yel- 

 lowish. 



This remarkably long-winged and beautiful Hawk 

 does not appear to extend its migrations far within the 

 United States. Wilson observed it rather plentiful about, 

 and below Natchez, in the summer season, sailing in 

 easy circles, sometimes at a great elevation, so as to keep 

 company occasionally with the Turkey-Buzzards in the 

 most elevated regions of the air : at other times they 

 were seen among the lofty forest trees, like Swallows 

 sweeping along, and collecting the locusts (Cicadcs) 

 which swarmed at this season. My friend Mr. Say ob- 

 served this species pretty far up the Mississippi, at one 

 of Major Long's cantonments. But, except on the banks 

 of this great river, they are rarely seen even in the most 

 southern states. Their food, no doubt, abounds more 

 along the immense valley of the Mississippi than in the 

 interior regions, and, besides large insects, probably 

 often consists of small birds, lizards, snakes, and other 

 reptiles, which swarm in these their favorite resorts. 

 On the failure of their food, they migrate by degrees 

 into the Mexican and South-American provinces ; and 

 were observed by De Azara in Guiana, about the latitude 

 of 7 degrees. Of the nest, and other habits of this uncom- 

 mon bird, we are yet entirely ignorant. It is very prob- 

 able, that like the Kite it builds in lofty trees. From 

 the very narrow limits within which this bird inhabits 



