Jhe £mu 



Official Organ of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. 



Birds of zi fcatbcr.' 



Vol. XVIII.] isx JANUARY, 1919. [Part 3. 



The Letter^winged Kite (Elanus scriptus, Gould). 



By H. L. White, R.A.O.U., Belltrees, N.S.W. 



Few readers of The Emu have given so much thought to this bird. 

 Ever since reading the paragraph in Gould's " Handbook," 1865, 

 vol. i., p. 55, it has been my endeavour to confirm the late Mr. 

 Samuel White's observations— viz., that he found this species 

 " in great numbers on Cooper's Creek, between lat. 27° and 28°, 

 always in companies of from 10 to 20 or 30 in number. It flies 

 when near the ground with a heavy flapping motion, but 

 occasionally flies very high, when its movements are very 

 graceful. It is rather inquisitive, but not so bold as Milvns 

 affinis. It nests in companies, as near each other as possible. 

 The nest is composed of sticks, lined with pellets ejected from 

 their stomachs, which are principally composed of the fur of the 

 rats upon which they chiefly subsist. The eggs, which are four 

 or five in number, have a white^ground, blotched and marked with 

 reddish-brown, darkest at the small end ; they are one inch and 

 three-quarters long by one inch and three-eighths broad. The 

 markings are easily removed by wetting." 



In view of Mr. Sid. W. Jackson's observations, the above is the 

 most accurate description yet given of the breeding habits of 

 Elanus scriptus, though a slight inaccuracy occurs in stating that 

 the egg markings are darkest at the small end ; in a very large 

 series in my collection not more than 15 per cent, are so marked. 



A. J. Campbell (" Nests and Eggs," page 28) does not improve 

 upon Gould. A. J. North (" Nests and Eggs," vol. iii., p. 254) 

 quotes G. A. Keartland as having noted the birds breeding in 

 Central Australia, but gives no record of eggs being taken at the 

 time. This is not to be wondered at. During a journey such as 

 the Horn Expedition, very little time would be available for 

 special prolonged observations. Mr. Keartland, however, con- 

 firms Gould's statements to a certain extent. North is incorrect 

 in stating that eggs of Elanus scriptus are less heavily marked 

 than those of E. axillaris. In a large scries of both species liefore 

 me I find there is practically no difference in coloration. In both 

 species some eggs are lightly marked, odd specimens almost pure 

 white, while others are simply a mass of colour, as if the egg had 

 been dipped into blood. 



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