170 The Kites and Hawks 
and every means of reducing the number of the snakes and lizards 
tends ultimately to increase the amount both of winged game and 
rabbits, which are held in high esteem in Spain. 
Upon the amount of good done by the whole family of raptores 
in this way nobody can speak with such decisive authority as the 
birdsnester and above all one who habitually visits all the nests 
himself and is accustomed to take note of what he sees. The out- 
come of my own personal observations extending over thirty-four 
years is that with hardly an exception all the so-called game- 
destroying Eagles and Hawks habitually prey upon the larger 
reptiles, as is well shown by the fact that it is rare to find one of 
their nests without the remains of a snake or big lizard, particu- 
larly the latter, whereas it is the exception to find rabbits and still 
more so to see Partridge’s feathers. 
BLACK KITE (Milvus migrans). 
Closely allied to the Red Kite is the Black Kite, the former 
however, is a resident in southern Spain whereas the latter is 
one of the many spring, migrants. As can be seen from the Plate 
of the two species there is a strong family resemblance between 
them. On the wing it is not difficult to identify either species, for 
even at a considerable distance the more deeply forked tail of the 
Red Kite is clearly distinguishable, whilst, should the birds be 
overhead, the Red Kite’s wings are much lighter on their under 
surface and are marked with a conspicuous dark patch upon each. 
Lastly, the Black Kite, besides being darker under the wings has 
a distinctly darker appearance all over than has its relative, whence 
its name, 
Every spring great numbers of Black Kites pass northward 
over the Straits. The first of the migration usually occurs during 
