88 MANUAL 



position tlial be has discovered a uew species — the male be- 

 ing bluish in color and the female and young brownish — all 

 have the rump white, this alone would characterize the sub- 

 family and distinguish it from any other. 

 Genus, Circus, The Marsh Hawk. 

 The old generic equivalent was Falco. 



Sub-family /; MILVIN^ Kites 



In most instances the Kitcx would be known at once by 

 their long and often deeply forked tail, though a few species 

 do not have the tail abnormally long. The tail and wings 

 would alone characterize the sub-family. Compared with the 

 CiRCiNJE : bill rather slender, weak, and not toothed at the 

 tip ; no facial disc ; bristles few or wanting altogether ; upper 

 mandible sometimes barely notched the under one never ; 

 wings long and pointed ; length of tail varied ; tarsus not very 

 long and feet small, claws slender — the whole foot weak. 

 The student will find that the genera vary considerably among 

 themselves, yet all conform to the general Kite-like outline. 

 He will do well to compare his specimens and form his own 

 diagnosis of the group in that way. 



Gexera, Eostrhavius, The Everglade Kite. 

 Ictinia, The Mississippi Kite. 

 Elanus, The White-tailed Kite. 

 Elanoides, The Swallow-tailed Kite. 



Synonym.s, (the most important ones) : Milvus of elanus, and Nauclerus 

 of ELAXOIDES. Several synonyms, hardly worth mentioning in the present 

 connection, will doubtless occur to students of synonymology ; especially 

 that of Falco, which occurs for all four species. 



Sub-family c ACCIPITRIN-ffi True Hawks 



We call the Accipitrin.e the True ILiirks in distinction 

 from the Buteonin.e or the Buzzard Hawks. Both families 

 are really " True Hawks," though why the latter family is* 

 so almost universally styled the " Buzzards " would be hard 

 to say. To call them " Buzzard Hawks " might indeed be 

 eminently proper, as they partake of -the characteristics of both 



