328 BLACK KITE. 



abundant from the beginning of March until October, but it is not 

 numerous on the mainland and islands of Italy and in Greece, 

 though it is generally distributed over Central Europe and found in 

 Russia from Finland and the province of Archangel down to the 

 Caucasus and the Caspian Sea. East of the Ural Mountains the 

 representative species is Af. vielatiotis, in India it is M. govinda, 

 and in Egypt the resident bird is the yellow-billed M. cegyptius ; but 

 the Black Kite appears to pass through the latter country on its 

 migrations, which extend to the south of Africa, and even to 

 Madagascar. It breeds, and probably remains throughout the year, 

 in Africa north of the Atlas, where it frequents more arid and rocky 

 districts than in Europe. 



The eggs, seldom laid before the beginning of May, are usually 

 2 in number, similar in appearance to those of the Red Kite, but 

 rather smaller. In Algeria the nest — made of materials similar to 

 those used by its congener — is frequently placed in a crag, particu- 

 larly one studded with bushes or shrub ; but in Europe towers, 

 ruins, and especially trees, even in populous towns like Pera, are 

 selected, and I have found ten or more nests in a small patch of 

 marshy wood. At Bayonne the Black Kite may be seen crossing the 

 streets, steering its way carefully among the telegraph wires, and 

 picking up from the river offal or small fish. The latter, which it 

 often devours while on the wing, form a favourite article of diet ; 

 reptiles, frogs, small birds and mammals are also consumed; but 

 the bird is chiefly a scavenger and does little harm. I have seen it 

 feeding greedily on grasshoppers. 



The adult has the head and throat whitish, streaked with black ; 

 upper parts dark brown ; under parts rufous-brown ; bill black. 

 Length about 22 in. The young bird is duller in colour, and the 

 upper feathers have pale edges. 



An undoubted example of the American Swallow-tailed Kite, 

 Elanoides furcatus, was taken alive during a heavy thunderstorm, 

 near Hawes in Yorkshire, on September 6th 1805, but afterwards 

 made its escape. There is no other authentic record of the occur- 

 rence of this species in Great Britain, or in any part of Europe ; it 

 chiefly inhabits the tropical portions of America, and there is reason 

 to suppose that the bird in question had been in confinement. 



I have examined an immature specimen of the little Black-winged 

 Kite, Elanus cceritleiis, said to have been shot about 1862, in co. 

 Meath ; but it was unrecognized for ten years, and the evidence is 

 not wholly satisfactory. The species is semi-tropical. 



