32 Mr. C. H. Taylor on JUrds 



were being fed. On one occasion it darted down and 

 catching a chicken made oif before a gun could be procured. 



534. MiLvus ^GYPTius. (Yellow-billed Kite.) 

 (a) ? . 22.10.06. Swazieland. 



Occasionally seen and obtained. No doubt there are more 

 in the district later on during the summer months. 



536. Elanus CiERULEUS. (Black-shouldered Kite.) 

 (a) ? . 2(j.9.06. Indhlovudwalilie. Iris bright red. In 

 stomach two rats. 



Common. I do not think this harmless Kite ever touches 

 chickens, its food consisting chiefly of lizards and rats ; two 

 of the latter were found in the stomach of one shot. In this 

 locality they remain all through the winter from May until 

 October. 



540. AcciPiTER RUFiVENTRis. (African Sparrow-Hawk.) 



(a) ? juv. 26.9.06. Indhlovudwalilie. Iris yellow. In 

 stomach two small birds. 



{h) $ . 3.10.06. Indhlovudwalilie. Iris bright yellow. 

 In stomach one rat. 



Several times I came across this Hawk in the thick bush, 

 where it flies between the trees with the greatest of ease. 

 1 found it nesting in the beginning of October: the nest was 

 placed in a fork on the top of a tree about twenty feet high ; 

 it was built of sticks and thickly lined with lichen, evidently 

 taken from a neighbouring tree. This lichen, which was 

 very long, hung down so as to nearly cover the outside of the 

 nest, giving it a green appearance. The plumage in (a) is 

 very instructive ; the chin and chest-feathers show the dark 

 brown shaft-stripes well marked, but there is no trace of 

 cross-barring on the breast, abdomen, or flanks. 



543. AsTUR TACHIRO. (African Goshawk.) 



(a) S' 21.6.06. Indhlovudwalilie. Iris light yellow; 



legs yellow. In stomach mouse. 



Eare. The only one seen was procured when seated on 



some trees quite close to the house, where it was apparently 



watching for chickens. They are said to be very destructive 



to poultry. 



