RAPTORES. 49 



Genus MILVUS, Cm. 



Asia, Europe, and North Africa are the great stronghokls 

 of the Kites or the members of the restricted genus Milvus ; 

 but at least two are natives of AustraKa. One of these, the 

 Milvus affiiiis, is so Hke the M. ate?' of Europe, that some 

 ornithologists consider them identical ; but they are really 

 quite distinct. I do not affirm this without having first 

 consulted my friend, J. H. Gurney, Esq., than whom there is 

 no more competent authority with regard to Kaptorial birds. 



Sp. 21. MILVUS AFFINIS, Gould. 



Allied Kite. 



Milvus affinis, Gould, in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part v, p. 140. 



{Hydroictinia) affinis, Kaup, Isis, 1847, p. 118. 



E-le-nid-jul, Aborigines of Port Essington. 



Milvus affinis, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. i. pi. 21. 



The AUied Kite appears to enjoy a very wide distribution, 

 since it not only inhabits Australia, but appears to extend its 

 range through the Indian Islands to the peninsula of India. Mr. 

 Gurney informs me that it occurs in Macassar, and certainly in 

 India as far north as Nepaul, though it is generally confounded 

 in the latter country with its larger relative M. Govinda. With 

 the single exception of Tasmania, it is universally dispersed 

 over all the Australian colonies ; it is quite as common on the 

 Cobourg Peninsula as it is in the southern portions of the 

 country ; and that it is as abundant in the centre of Australia 

 as it is near the coasts is shown by Captain Sturt having 

 observed it flying in great numbers over the far interior ; but 

 Mr. W. Allan informs me, in a letter dated August S, 1859, 

 " that there is an uncertainty, or rather an irregularity, in its 

 appearance in different parts of the country. During a resi- 

 dence of nine years on the River Manning I never saw a 



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