46 



ACCIPITRES. 



MiLVJN.E. 



SUB-FAMILY V. 



The Kites. 



Gex. Charac. — Bill short, weat, with the tip hooked and acute, and the lateral 

 margins sinuated ; nostrils basal and lateral, with the opening mostly in 

 the form of an oblique slit ; wings long and pointed ; tarsi hardly longer than 

 the hind toe, and robust; toes moderate, broad, and padded beneath. 





Fig. 19.— the common kite. 

 {Milcns regalis.) 



Tlie sliortness of their legs and the feebleness 

 of tlieir talons, conjoined with a beak equally dis- 

 proportioned to their size^ causes the Kites to be the 

 most cowardly of the Falcon race ; while, on the 

 other hand, the excessive length of their wings and 

 their forked tail enable them to fly with wonderful 

 ease and elegance. These birds, indeed, appear to 



