522 



SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — RAPTORES — A CCIPITRES. 



brown or rufous. Five outer primaries mostly blackish, all of them and tlie secondaries with 

 large white basal areas on inner webs ; tail-feathers banded with 5 or 6 obscure dusky bars, 

 the terminal one strongest and most distinct, and marbled with white toward their bases. The 

 bluish cast invades the fore under parts, the rest of which are white, with sparse drop-shaped 

 rufous spots ; lining of wings white. From this blue-and-white state the bird is found grading 

 by degrees into the very different plumage of the 9 and young : Above, dark umber-brown> 

 everywhere more or less varied with reddish-brown or yellowish -brown, the upper tail-coverts, 

 however, white, forming a very conspicuous mark ; under parts a variable shade of brownish- 

 yellow, or ochraceous, streaked with umber-brown, at least on breast and sides ; tail crossed with 

 6-7 blackish bars. The younger the bird the heavier the coloration, whicli is sometimes quite 

 blackish and reddish, excepting the white upper tail-coverts. $ 9 : Iris, tarsi, audioes bright 

 yellow ; cere yellow or yellowish ; bill blackish ; claws black. $ : length 17.50-19.00 > 

 extent 40.00-44.00 ; wing 13.00-14.00; tail 9.00-10.00 ; tarsus .3.00 or less ; middle toe with- 

 out claw 1.20. 9 : length 19.00-21.50; extent 45.00-50.00; wing 14.00-16.00; tail 9.50- 

 10.50 ; tarsus 3.00 or more ; middle toe without claw 1.40. North Am. at large, one of the 

 most abundant and widely-diffused of its family, especially in meadowy and marshy places, and 

 easily recognized by its generic characters, in all its variation of size and color. The nest is 

 placed upon the ground, and rather neatly built of hay, a foot in diameter, 3 inches high ; eggs 

 3-6? commonly 4-5, broad and nearly equal-ended, l.SO to 1.90X1-40-1.45, dull white, 

 with more or less greenish or bluish shade ; no decided markings, but fi'equently small spots 

 and large blotches of very pale brownish on the surface, and some neutral-tint shell-spots. 

 No specific difference from C. ajanens of Europe ; averaging a little larger; old ^ retaining a 

 few rufous spots in white of under parts, and more evident barring of wings and- tail. 



43. Subfamiry MILVIN/E: Kites. 



■ A typical Kite ( Elanoules forjicatus). (From Michelet.) 



No ruff or ear-conch. Loral 

 bristles moderate, scanty or quite 

 wanting, the head being then 

 closely and softly feathered to 

 the bill. Superciliary shield evi- 

 dent or not. Bill usually weak, 

 sometimes extremely slender, 

 the cutting edge of the upper 

 mandible straight to the curve, 

 or lobed or festooned, but not 

 toothed, nor the under mandible 

 truncate and notched. Nostrils 

 not circular, nor with central 

 bony tubercle. Wings very 

 long, more or less narrowed 

 and pointed, with several (in 

 our genera 2 to 5) primaries 

 emarginate on inner webs. Tail 

 very variable in length and 

 shape, in our genera nearly 

 even or deeply forked. Feet 

 very small; tarsus inuch shorter 

 than tibia, approximately equal 

 to middle toe without claw, — 

 usually feathered above, the rest 



