446 BIRDS OF II-LIXOIB. 



ofthoccro. Foot small, but very robust; tnreus about equni to middle too; outer too 

 shorter thitn tho InniT. mill about I'quiil to tbi' hiillux: web betwoen outor and middle 

 toe jUfit uppnroQt; rlawH Hmull, but xlwirp, iind well curved, the under surface rounded 

 and juBt perceptibly flattened; middle ehiw willi tlio Mliurp protectlnK lateral rldice very 

 prominent. TurnuK and toes (oxeept terminal joint of the latter) cuvered uulformly with 

 minute ri'undisli »cali-s. Wint: lonir; second to third quill loncest; llrst Intermediate 

 betwi'cn second and fourth. First quill with Inner web emuri;inoted, near the end: 

 (iecond, sinunted. Tail double-rounded, more than one half the wink'. 



Elanus leucurus iVieill,) 



WHITE TAILED KITE, 

 Popular synonym, Ulnck-shouldered Kite. 

 ,\/i7fi(s leutiirus ViEiLL. Nouv, Diet. xx. 1k18, 5M. 

 Elanns leuctniia Bi>. 1838,— Cass, in Biiird's B. X, Am. 1858, 36,— Baibd, Cat. N, Am, B, 

 1859, No, 35.— CoUKS, Key. 1882, 211 ; Check List, 1874, No, C7,-B, B. i R, Hist. N. 

 Am. B.iii. 1874,197,198. 

 Falco tlinpar Temm. PI. Col. i, 1825, pl.319 (=;ui?,),— AuD. B. Am. 1838. pis. 351,352: 

 Orn. Bios, iv, 1838, 307. 

 £Ianus disparCvw TAeg. An, ed, 1829, i, 334,— NuTT, Man, 1833,93,— AUD, Synop, 1839, 

 13; B. Am, i, 1810. 70. pi. 16. 

 i:ianuii glaucus "(Babth.)" Coues, Proo, Phil, Acad, lex Falco otauciis Babtr, Travels. 

 1791, 290); 2d Check List,1882,No, 492,— RiDow. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 427. 



Had. The whole of continental tropical and subtropical America; south to Paraguay, 

 ArRentino Republic, and Chili, north to southern United States (Texas to Florida and 

 South Carolina), Indian Territory, New Mexico, and California ; occasional (broedine?) In 

 oxtrome southern portion of Illinois. 



Sp. Char. Adult. Upper surface, including occiput, nape, interscapulars, scapu- 

 lars, rump, upper tnil-eoverts. and wings (except lesser and middle coverts), soft, deli- 

 cate, rather light bluish cinereous, becoming gradually white on the anterior portion of 

 the head, above. Rest of the head, with the tail, lining of the wing, and entire lower 

 parts, pure white, sometimes withavery faint tinge of pule pearl-blue, laterally beneath; 

 two middle tail-feathers ashy, but much lighter than the rump; shafts of tail-feathers 

 black, except toward ends. Bristly loral feathers (forming ante-orbital spot, extending 

 narrowly above the eye), a very large patch on the shoulder, covering lesser and middle 

 wing-coverts, and large quadrate spot on under side of wing (on llrst row of primary 

 coverts), deep black. Underside of primaries deep cinereous (darker than outer surface); 

 under surface of secondaries nearly white. Second quill longest; third scorcely shorter 

 (sometimes equal, or even longest); first longer than, or equal to the fourth. Tail 

 slightly emarginated. the longest feather (next to outer) being about .50 longer than the 

 middle, and .00 (or more) longer than the lateral, which is shortest, 



Male. Wing, 11. 80-12.60; tail, 7. 30-<,(H); culmon, ,tK>-,80; tarsus, 1,30-1,50; middle toe, 1,00- 

 1.15 (eight specimens). 



female. Wing.n.tiO-12.75; tail,7.20-7.8»); culmen, .70-,"2; tarsus, 1.25-1.40; middle toe, 

 1.10-1.20 (eight specimens). 



Specimens not perfectly adult have the primary coverts, second- 

 aries, and inner primaries, slightly tipped with white. 



Still younger individuals have these white tips hroader, the tail 

 more ashy, and the upper parts with inimerous feathers of dull 

 browii, tipped iiarnnvly with white; the breast with sparse longitud- 

 inal touches of brownish. 



