208 THE USEFUL BIRDS 



As in the case of the Owls, the female Hawks are much 

 larger than the males. 



The birds usually associate in pairs, excepting when a horde 

 of caterpillars is travelling across the land ; then, according 

 to Mr. Gould, several hundreds will come together and create 

 great havoc along the line of march, thus unconsciously 

 benefiting human kind. 



Nest. — Open, cup-shaped, and large, made of sticks and 

 lined with fibres or light twigs. The position of the nest may 

 be high on a swaying branch, or near the ground in a stunted 

 tree. 



Eggs. — Two or three for a sitting ; the ground colour may 

 be very pale chestnut, with blotches of strong reddish-brown 

 upon it, or the blotches may be light and one end of the egg 

 have a whitish ground. Length, 2 inches; breadth, 1.5 

 inches. 



BLACK-SHOULDERED KITE, 



Elaiius axillaris. Lath. 



E'la-mis axs-il-a'ris. *' 



Elanus (?) ; axilla, arm-pit. 

 Elanus axillaris, Gould, "Birds of Australia," fol., vol. i., pi. 23. 

 Geographical Distribution. — Areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9. 



Key to the Species. — General appearance greyish- white ; shoulder 

 black ; axillaries white ; bare part of tarsus in front less than 

 middle toe. 



There are several species of Kites in Australia, but the 

 only one that need engage our attention at the present is the 

 Black -shouldered, which is found practically all over AustraHa. 

 Some Httle care is necessary to distinguish it, because a close 



