448 BraDB or nxnJOTs. 



Ictinia mississippiensia (Wils.) 



MISSISSIPPI KITE. 



Popular synonymi. Gluo Kitr- ; Blue Snnko Hnwk. 



Faico iitiiminiiippii'iiiiiii Wits. Am. Orn. iii, ISll, 80.pl. 2.1. iIr. I. 

 7rri?ii(i nii*si»iii;j;<icnjiiji Br. IMO.— Cass. In Balnl's B. N. Am. 1X18. 37.— Baiiid. B. X. 

 Am. 1859.No. 3«.-CouE8, Key. 1872. 211; Chuck List. 1874. No. ax,. 

 Fa ro iilitmhena "Gmel." Aud. B. Am. ls:M, |.l. 117; Orn. Bloc. II. 18S4. 108; v. 1839.374 (ikt 

 Gmel.). 

 Idiiiinplumbea NuTT. Man. 1,1833, 92 (n(>c Vieii.l.>— AuD. Srnop.lSSS. H: B. Am. I. IRIU, 

 -t, pi. 17. 

 Iclinin auhrirriilra "(Bartb.j" Coues, Proc. Phil. .Vend, li-j- Fa'cn mibcwriili'iiii BAnrn. 

 Trav. 1791.290); 2a Cheok List, 1882. No. 191.— Ridow. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881. No. 428. 



Had. More southern enstern United States; north. r<>(rularly. to South Carolina, nnd 

 southern lllinois.moro rarely to Iowa ami Wisronsln. and oasually to Pcnnsylvnnin: 

 south through eastern Mexleo and Guatemala. 



8p. Chab. -Irfu/r mn/^ (No. 81.483. Fox Prairie. Hii-hland Co., 111.. Aupust 19. 1K71I. 

 Head, neck, secondaries, and entire lower parts plumbeous ash, becoming, by a gradual 

 transition, lighter on the head and secondaries, where the shade Is pale cinereous: the 

 head anteriorly, and the tips of the secondares being silvery white. Lores and eyelids 

 black. Best of the plumage dark plumbeous, approaching plumbeous black on the lesser 

 wlng-coverts. primaries and upper tail-coverts, the tail being nearly pure black. Pri- 

 maries with an indistinct narrow concealed stripe of chestnut-rufous on the outer webs, 

 and larger spots of the same on the inner webs; feathers of the head. neck, nnd lower 

 parts abruptly pure white beneath the surface, this showing in partly exposed spots on 

 the pectoral ri'gion and erissum. Scapulars also with largo coueealed white spots. 

 Shafts of primaries and tail-feathers black on both siiles. Wing formula..'?. 2-4-^6.1. 

 First primary angularly, the second concnvely, eiuurginatcd. Tail emarginated, lateral 

 feather longest; depth of fork, .40. Wing. 11.7.'j; tail. 6.80; culmen, .(53; tarsus, 1.2«; middle 

 toe, 1.15. 



Ailultfrnialp (ToK Prairie, Bii'hland Co.. III.. August 19. 1871). Similartothe male, but 

 head and secondaries decidedly darker, hardly approaching light ash; scarcely any 

 truce of rufous on the primarii'S, none at nil on outer webs; shafts of tull-fi-athcrs 

 white on underside. Wing. 11.80; tjill,<.25. Bill, cere, eyelids, and inti'rior of mouth. deep 

 black; Iris deep laki'-red; rictus orange-red; Ijirsi and toes pinkish orang<>-rci|. lower 

 part of tarsus and large scutella- of toes dusky. (Notes from fresh spei'imens, the ones 

 above described.) 



Immature male (transition iilumage; No. 84,484, Fox Prairie, Itichhind Co.. 111., .\ugust 

 21, 18711. Similar to the a<lult female, but the white spots on basal portion of pectoral 

 und crissal feathers distinctly exposed; secondaries not lighter than rest of the wing. 

 Tail-feathers with angular while spots cxtemlingiiuiti' across the Iniu'r webs, proilucing 

 three distinct transverse bands wln'n viewed from below. Inner web of outer primary 

 mostly white anterior to the emarginatidu. Wing. 10. .10; tail. fl. 25. Color of bill, etc.. as 

 in the ailult. but interior of month whitish, and the iris less pure i-armlne. 



/•/iiiindii-e/eiiKi'p (Coll. Philadelphia Academy. Bed Fork of the Arkansas. 1850; Dr. 

 Woodhouse). Similar to the last. Wing. 11.10; tail. fi.Hl. . 



Yoiumfeiiialp (llrst plumage: Cidl. Phihuli'lphia Academy. North Fork Canadian IJlver, 

 September 19.1851: Dr. WoodhdUscl. Head.neck.and lowi^r jiarts white, with a yellowish 

 tinge; the most perci'plible on the tibiie. Fach feather with a median longitudinal ovate 

 spot of blackish brown, more reddisli on the lower parts. The chin. throat, and a broad 

 superciliary stripe.are immaculate while. Lower tuil-coverts each Willi a median acu- 

 minate spot of rusty, the shaft black. Upper parts brownish l>la<'k; wing-coverts. scapu- 

 lars, and interscapulars, feathers of the rump, and the upper tail-cover, narrowly 



