268 BLACK-SnCULDERED KITE. 



ATCi-ngpmenPurPmont'iofr.inlci-pcfinicn'i li-imi Snuthern United States. Lcuutli, 15-50; «:tretch, 3H-5I); wing, 12-50; tail, 

 7-50: bill, -95; tai-sus. 1-25. Longest spci-imcn, 10-00; greatest extent < f wing, 40-00; longest wing. 13-00; tail, 7-75, bill, 

 1 00; tarsu.s, 1-30. Shortest specimen, 15-CO; smallest extent of v,-ing, .•J'J-OO; shortest wing, 1-^-00; tail, 700, bill, -'JO; tar- 

 sus, 1-20. 



Average measuromentsnf foailospoeiiasn- from S >ut'iern United States. Limgth, 10-00; stretch, 41-00; wing, 13-00; 

 tail, 7-75; bill, 1-05; tarsus, 1-35. Longest specimen, 10-50; greatest extent cf wing, 41-50; longest wing, 13-50; tail, S-OD; 

 bill, MO; tarsus, 1-40. Shortest specimen, 15-50; smallest cxtentof wing, 30-00, shortest wing, 13-50; tail, 7-50; bill, TOO; 

 tarsus, 130. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS jIND EGGS. 



Nests, placed in low trees. Tliey are not very bulky structures and arc composed of sticks .ind twigs, lined with weeds, 

 grass, etc. 



E(i!js, four to six in number, rather spherical in form, white in color, spotted and blotched irregularly with brown and 

 umber of varying shades. Dimensions from l-02x 1-44 to 1-G4x 1-48. 



HABITS. 



The White-tailed Kite is probably one of the rarest of the order in the section of which 

 I write and I never h;ul the good fortune to meet witli one. The first specimen that was 

 ever noticed by ornithologists in Niirtli America, was obtained by Mr. Titian Peale, in East 

 Florida, many years ago. Yet fov.', if any, htive been taken there since; indeed, only one 

 instance has come to my knowledge of it having been observed there, and in this instance, 

 a specimen was seen on or near the upper St. John's River by my correspondent, Mr. 

 Charles Nauman. Audubon makes record of it having been occasionally seen in the East- 

 ern portion of South Carolina but no one appears to have found it a( all common east of the 

 Mississippi River, although it is not uncommon in Texas, where it may, perhaps, spend 

 the winter. 



The White-tailed Kites did breed in South Carolina, for Audubon says that some nests 

 were taken early in March, from low trees which grew on the banks of the Santee River. 

 Very few eggs, however, have been obtained and consequently Ihey are very rare in col- 

 lections. This early time of nesting would indicate that this bird is constantly resident 

 in the more southern sections but is, without dcubt, migratory when it occurs much fur- 

 ther north. 



FAMLY II. FALCONID^. THE FALCONS. 



The sternum does not equal in width the length cf the coracoids but the scapular process 

 of the latter meets thefurcula. Marginal indentations, two, inclosed. 



This family, in oar section, is represented by a single genus, as I restrict it. The 

 manubrium is moderately well developed but is not forked. The furcula is stout, much 

 flittenel by 1 iteral expansion, wide and thick near the base which is rounded but not pro- 

 duced into a point. The terminal expansion is small but the furcula near it is not con- 

 tracted nor furrowed and is only bent downward to a point at about two thirds the height 

 of the keel. The marginal indentations, although varying in size with age, are always 

 inclosed. 



