22 



THE HAWKS AND OWLS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



The flight is smooth and protracted, and for grace aild elegance is 

 not excelled by that of any other species. To fully appreciate its 

 superiority one must see the bird on the wing, for no language can de- 

 scribe the beauty of the ever- varying movements. No matter whether 

 the bird is soaring far above the earth, skimming lightly OA'^er its sur- 

 face, or following the different gyrations of some fleeting insect, the 

 observer is surprised as well as charmed at the wonderful exhibition. 

 Often it will stop in mid air, and with half-closed wings and depressed 

 tail shake itself much after the manner of swallows while bathing. 

 Although it often alights on trees it rarely is seen on the ground, and 

 even when capturing its prey it glides swiftly over the surface, reach- 

 ing down at the proper moment to secure the quarry. It generally, if 

 not always, feeds while in mid air, bending its head downward and 

 toward the talons to tear the object in its grasp. It drinks while 

 skimming rapidly over the surface of the water as do the swifts, swal- 

 lows, and many other birds. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Tail deeply forked, the outside feathers being more than twice as 

 long as the middle pair ; wings very long, narrow, and acute. 



Color: Head, neck, lower parts, under wing feathers, and band 

 across rump, pure white; back, wings, and tail glossy blackish. 



Length: 19.50 to 25.50 inchc^s (495 to 647 ™™) ; extent 45 to 50 inches 

 (1143 to 1270 ™™); wing 15.50 to 17.75 inches (393 to 451 """); outer 

 tail feathers 12.50 to 14.50 inches (317 to 368 n*-"). 



I'ahle sliowing the results of examinations of 6 stomachs of the Swallow-tailed Kite 



{Elanoides forficatus). 



Summary.— Of 6 stomachs examined all contained insects; 2, lizards; 1, tree-frog. 



