J 16 W. E. Brooks — JVolc on a new species of Kite. [July, 



collected kites numerously from Etawah to Asausol, places distant apart 

 about 700 miles, and I cannot find any specific difference in plumage. The 

 wing varies from 16 to 18 inches in length ; but this is no greater varia- 

 tion than M. major is subject to ; and the range of wing in Aquila bifasciata 

 is from 20 to 24 inches, according to specimens in my collection. The dus- 

 ky kites can be obtained ivith any length of wing between 16 and 18 incites, 

 but they are one and all precisely identical in other respects. The male, too, 

 is often quite as large as the average female. This should be taken into 

 account before making another species of Govind kite. I do not agree with 

 Mr. Anderson regarding the difference of nostril. Many of my smallest 

 Govind kites have the same nostril. It is just such an amount of slight indivi- 

 dual variation, as regards nostril, as I have observed in other species. 



I think, therefore, that we may safely conclude that we have only three 

 true kites in India : JK. melanotis, M. Govinda or affinis, and M. palus- 

 tris. 



I have never seen Indian-killed examples of M. migrans or M. JEgyp- 

 tius. 



With regard to the types of If. Govinda, Mr. Gurney in a letter to 

 me, dated 5th July, 1872, says, " Many years ago I examined in the Museum 

 of the East India Company the two type specimens from which the late 

 Col. Sykes originally described his M. Govinda. One of them appears to me 

 to be identical with the Australian M. affinis, the other to be a somewhat 

 larger bird, and I think of the form intermediate between M. melanotis and 

 M. affinis, if such there really be as a distinct race." 



It would appear from the foregoing that there is some difference be- 

 tween the two type birds of M. Govinda ; and a critical re-examination of 

 them is much to be desired. For my own part, I am not at all satisfied 

 that Milvus Govinda is not Milvus melanotis. 



The original description of Sykes' species is to be found in P. Z. S., 

 1832, p. 81. 



Only two dimensions are given ; " Longitudo corporis 26 unc. ; and, 

 "cauche 11." The former is, I think, fatal against M. Govinda being the 

 bird ive now recognize as that species, i. e., the common Calcutta kite. The 

 following are total lengths of several kites, the sexes of which were carefully 

 ascertained : 



inches. 



M. major, & 25£ 



» » ° 25^ 



» » + 25V 



» » + 25 4 



» » + ^4-3 



94<i 



jj J» .tra a 



