OF SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA. 209 



ally {E. scriftus, Gld.) exists, which differs only in having the 

 axillaries black and a black bar beneath the wing. From 

 this marking it receives its name, the Letter-winged Kite. 



The Black-shouldered Kite, unhke the birds of prey, 

 possesses feeble bill and legs, hence it is a semi-insectivorous 

 bird. The distribution of this species is in the warmer parts, 

 only occasionally passing south of the Dividing Range. It is 

 a truly arboreal bird, loving to perch on the dead ]imbs of high 

 trees or among the topmost branches, and is seldom seen on 

 or near the ground. 



^^est. — Open, and composed of twigs, and internally hned 

 with fibres and small twigs. 



Egijs. — Three or four in number ; ground colour where 



visible, white, mostly smeared with blotches of a reddish 



rusty-chocolate. Length, 1.6 inches; breadth, 1.25 inches 

 (A. J. North). 



BOOBOOK OWL, 



Niuox boobook, Lath. 



Ninoks hoo-hook. 



Ninox [ill, not (neither, i.e., twilight) ; nox, night ?] ; boobook, in imitation 

 of its call. 



Athene boobook, Gould, "Birds of Australia," fol.. vol. i., pi. 32. 



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



Key to the Species. — General colour rufous ; interscapulum not 

 spotted ; wing 10.25 inches long ; tarsus not twice the length of 

 middle toe ; facial disc unequal, the part above much larger than 

 that below ; outer toe reversible. 



" Hawks and Owls are complementary to each other. While 

 Hawks hunt by day, and keep diurnal mammals in check, 



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