NESTS A.VD EOGS 01- AiSTKALUW BIHDS. 



2Q 



Srxt. — Constnicted of sticks, lined with rubbish (chiefly pellets com- 

 posed of rats' fur ejected from the stoinacii of tlie birds), and situated 

 in a tree. According to Gould, in some localities tiie nests are placed as 

 near each other as possible, in companies. 



Eytjs. — Clutcii, four ; round oval in shape ; surface of the shell some- 

 what fine, with least perceptible trace of gloss ; ground-colour, where visible, 

 buffv -white, heavily mottled and blotched all over with chestnut or dai'k 

 reddish-brown. Inside lining of the shell, yellowish green. Dimensions 

 in inches: (1) 1-79 x 1-33, (2) 1-74 x 1-32. Gould, on the authority of 

 the late Mr. S. Wliite, states the markings are easily removed by wetting. 



Ohservatinnx. — The Letter-winged Kite does not enjoy such an extensive 

 range as the preceding species, being more limited to interior provinces. 



Taking this species in conjunction with the preceding one, they are 

 indeed beautiful creatures, wliich soar with graceful movements, and are 

 too harmless and delicate in stiiicture to be associated with the ferocious 

 Hawk tribe. They feed almost exclusively on insects, but sometimes catch 

 mice and other '" small deer.' The most prominent markings in one 

 species ai'e its black shoulders, which naturally give rise to its name. 

 Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus ariUaru). The principal character by 

 which the other species is distinguished is a black marking on the under 

 surface of the wing, wliich, following the lino of the bones from the body 

 to the uinion, assiunes, when the wing is expanded, the form of the letter 

 "V, or if both wings are viewed from beneath at the same time, that of a 

 W divided in the centre by the body of the bii-d — hence the veiy appro- 

 priate name Letter-winged Kite I Elnnux scriptus). These truly elegant 

 creatures are both about 12 inches or thirteen inches in length ; with wing 

 11 inches, and tail 6 inches, the expanse of the wings from tip to tip 

 being about 3 feet. Some theorists on the colouration of birds' eggs say 

 Hawks usually lay sanguinary-marked eggs, because the birds by natiu'e 

 ai'e sanguinary minded — but one of the most bloodthirsty, the Radiated 

 Goshawk, for example, lays almost wliite eggs, while the simple-minded 

 insect catchers, the Black-shouldered and Letter-winged Kites, lay speci- 

 mens that have all the appearance of having been literally steeped in gore, 

 so red and heavy are their markings. 



Sub-family — F.\lconiN/E : Falcons. 



21. — Baza subcristata, Gould. — (25) 

 CRESTED HAWK. 



Figure.— Gon\d; Birds of Australia, fol., vol. i., pi 25. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. i., p. 357. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs — Gou\d : Birds of .Vustralia, Handbook, 

 vol. i , p. 57 (1865); Ramsay: P.Z S., p. 392 (1S67) ; North: 

 Austn Mus. Cat., pi. 2, fig. 5 (1889) ; Campbell : Proc. Austn. 

 Assoc, vol. vi., p. 436 (1895). 



Geographical Distribution. — Northeni Territory, Queensland, New 

 South 'Wales, and interior of South Australia (.'). 



