1873.] A. Anderson — On a new species of Kite. 143 



the following extracts are taken, as giving some particulars relative to the 

 habits of the bird in question. 



" I have, however, specimens of a kite with all the characters of Milvus 

 major, but considerably smaller. It is also a cold weather visitant, and is 

 equally shy as the former. Mr. Brooks has examined these kites in my 

 collection and agrees with me in referring them to another species : they 

 may be Milvus affinis, or perhaps more probably M. melanotis of Tem- 

 minck." 



" Undoubtedly we have three species of kites in India, two of them 

 being migratory." P. Z. S. 1872, p. 79. 



" The small Marsh kites I have before referred to (p. 79) first made 

 their appearance in ones and twos before the end of September ; and they 

 were then terribly wild ; just as much so as Milvus major. Later in the 

 season (December and January,) they became gregarious, and confined them- 

 selves to marshes and grassy swamps. As the season advanced, so their 

 wariness seemed to wear off ; and as the country dried up, they began asso- 

 ciating with the village kites, till they became just as audacious as their 

 allies M. Govinda. 



" I have seen as many as fifty of the small Marsh kite on the wing at 

 a time ; and the conspicuous white or pale-buff patches under the wings 

 suffice to distinguish them from the village kites at a glance." 



" Early in the season the Marsh kites appear to keep to the open 

 country, and then do not intermingle with the other species ; but I have 

 come across numerous places where villages are situated on the banks of 

 swamps ; and then, of course, both kinds are always to be seen together. 

 They have now (14th March,) nearly vanished, and by the end of the month 

 I do not think one will be left." P. Z. S. 1872, p. 623. 

 Milvus palustkis, sp. nov. 



The kite for which I have proposed this name, is somewhat smaller 

 than M. govinda, Sykes ; but in point of coloration it is very nearly a fac- 

 simile of M. major, Hume ; in fact a perfect miniature of that species. 

 "While the amount of white under the wings, extending in some examples to 

 two-thirds of the length of the primaries (confined, however, to the inner 

 webs) , and the rich rufous tone of the plumage generally, tend to assimilate 

 M. palustris to M. major, these characters tend equally to separate the 

 former from either of the other two species, viz., M Govinda and M. affinis, 

 Gould (P. Z. S. 1837) ; i. e., supposing the latter to be really worthy of 

 specific distinction as an Indian bird.* There is also a considerable amount 



* Mr. Blyth, in his " Commentary on Dr. Jerdon's ' Birds of India.' " (Ibis, 1866, 

 p. 248), does not appear to think that the ordinary Indian Kite is separable into two 

 species : — " In every assemblage of Indian Kites there is much disparity of size, some 

 males being considerably smaller than the largest females ; and the former would 



