EGGS OF BRITISH BIEDS. 11 



THE BLACK-SHOULDEKED KITE. 

 (Elanus cceruleus.) 



This tropical species has only occurred once in the British 

 Islands, a specimen having been captured in Co. Meath in Ireland. 

 It is an inhabitant of Northern Africa, visiting sparingly the 

 countries north of the Mediterranean. It is also found through- 

 out Africa and India. 



The nest is built in a tree, and is composed of sticks and lined 

 with grass-roots and fibre. The eggs are three or four in number, 

 rarely five. The ground-colour is buffy-white or yellowish-white 

 with chestnut markings, which vary considerably. They range in 

 length from VI to 1*55 inch, and in breadth from 1*25 to 12 inch. 



THE HONEY-BUZZAED. 

 (Pemis apivorus.) 



Plate 3, Figs. 3, 4. 



The Honey-Buzzard was formerly a regular summer visitant to 

 this country, breeding in most of the counties of England and 

 Wales where the woods were large enough to afford it a secure 

 retreat for its nest. As to its occurrence in Scotland and Ireland, 

 the information we have is very meagre ; but it appears to have 

 formerly bred in both these countries, where it has now, as well 

 as in England, become a rare summer visitor. On the Continent 

 it breeds in some numbers north of lat. 45° N., up to the Arctic 

 Circle, and occurs as far east as Krasnoiarsk. It winters in 

 Africa. 



According to my experiences in Pomerania, the Honey-Buzzard 

 does not build a nest of its own, but selects one of the numerous 

 Buzzards' or Kites' nests which abound in the forest, re-lining 

 them with a profusion of fresh green leaves, or the ends of 

 branches of trees in full leaf : this lining is apparently renewed 

 from time to time. 



The eggs of the Honey-Buzzard, two, three or four in number, 

 are very glossy or waxy in appearance, and are very round, the 

 small end being but slightly different from the larger one. They 

 run through the same variation as the eggs of the Common 

 Kestrel or the Peregrine. The ground-colour varies from creamy- 



