270 MILVUS. 



moderate length, narrow and pointed; those of the fore- 

 neck, breast, and lower parts in general, oblong and ta- 

 pering ; on the hind neck similar, on the rest of the up- 

 jjer parts broadly ovate and rounded ; of the abdomen 

 and tibiae loose. Wings extremely long, broad, and 

 pointed, the fourth quill longest, the third nearly equal, 

 the second considerably, and the first much; shorter ; 

 the primary quills strong, broad at the base, tapering, 

 but rounded at the end, incurved, the outer five cut out 

 on the inner web ; secondary quills thirteen, long, very 

 broad, broadly rounded, with a minute acumen. Tail 

 very long, ample, more or less forked, of twelve broad 

 rounded feathers. 



The kites, of which our own species and the Etoliaii 

 or Black Kite, Falco ater of Gmelin, are characteristic 

 examples, have the bill very similar to that of Pernis 

 apivorus, to which they are also related in their gene- 

 ral form ; but from which they are distinguished by 

 the still greater length of the wings and tail, the pecu- 

 liai' incurvation of the longer primary quills, and the 

 forking of the tail. The genus Elanus, composed of 

 Falco furcatus of Linnseus, and several other species, 

 has the bill and tail very similar to that of Milvus ; but 

 the tarsi are reticulated in front, the toes are shorter^ 

 and the wings, although also extremely long, have the 

 outer primaries straight, and differently proportioned 

 as to length. The species of both genera are remark- 

 able for their extreme buoyancy of flight, and the ex- 

 traordinary facility with which they seem to glide 

 through the air. The kites prey chiefly on reptiles, 

 small quadrupeds and birds, sometimes fishes, and oc- 

 casionally dead animals of various kinds ; the Elaiii feed 



