624 



SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — RAPTOBES — A CCIPITEES. 



gonys convex, ascending ; cere short ; nostrils small, subcircular ; loral bristling slight; super- 

 ciliary shield small, in one piece. Wings of moderate length, ample ; 3d quill longest ; 2d but 

 little shorter; 1st quite short, about equal to 6th; outer 2 emarginate on inner web, and next 2 

 somewhat sinuate. Tail moderate, even or emarginate, the feathers broad to their obtusely 

 rounded ends. Feet short and stout ; tarsus scantily feathered about i way down in front, then 

 scutellate, for the rest reticulate ; middle toe without claw about as long as the tarsus ; outer 

 and middle toes connected by a basal web for the whole length of the basal joint of the latter ; 

 inner toe without claw shorter than the outer, with claw longer, its claw being much larger 

 than that of the outer toe, reaching beyond base of middle claw. Soles broad, especially under 



491. 



Fig. 367. —Left, MiSiissippi Kite, \ nat. size; right, Swallow-tailed Kite, I nat. size. (From Brehm.) 

 the hind toe, which is widely margined ; claws short, stout, much curved. A genus of two 

 species, confined to temperate and tropical America ; of great volitorial power, spending much 

 of their time on the wnng in aerial gyrations ; some\A'hat gregarious like other Milvinie, and 

 preying upon the humblest quarry, especially insects and small reptiles, often feeding from their 

 talons, as they sail through the air, after sweeping down upon their prey and seizing it as they 

 ])ass without staying their flight. 



I. subcoeru'lea. (Lat. sicbeoerulea, bluish.) Mississippi Kite. Adult ^ 9 : General plumage 

 plumbeous or dark ashy-gray, bleaching on the head and secondaries, blackening on tlie tail 

 and wings, several primaries more (<J) or less (9) suffused with chestnut-red on the i rr 



