24 THE HAWKS AND OWLS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



MISSISSIPPI KITE. 



Ictinia mississippiensis. 



[Plate 2— Adult.] 



The Mississippi Kite, like the otlier American species, inhabits the 

 more southern parts of our territory. It is distributed from Guatemala 

 nor til through eastern Mexico and the southern United States east of the 

 Eocliy Mountains, occui'ring regularly as far north as Georgia, southern 

 Illinois, Indian Territory, and Kansas, and casually to Iowa and Wis- 

 consin. A few remain in the southern United States all winter, but the 

 greater part pass on to Mexico during October, and return again in 

 the latter part of April. 



The food of this species, like that of the Swallow- tailed Kite, consists 

 of insects, such as the larger beetles, grasshoppers, and locusts, lizards, 

 small snakes, and frogs. It never has been known to molest birds or 

 mammals, except to drive the larger species away from the vicinity of 

 its nest. Three specimens which Wilson examined atlsTatchez, Miss., con- 

 tained the remains of beetles ; and he saw them flying about the trees feed- 

 ing on cicadas. Dr. Cones mentions one shot at Bluffton, S. C, whose 

 stomach was crammed with the same insects, together with a few katy- 

 dids. It is wonderful at what a distance its keen eyes can detect a com- 

 paratively small insect. Mr. E. W. Nelson says: "I saw them rex)eat- 

 edly dart with unerring aim upon some luckless grasshoppers from an 

 elevation of at least 100 yards." (Bull. Essex Inst., vol. ix., 1877, p. 58.) 



As regards the economic value of this Kite much the same statement 

 may be made as of the previous species. It does little or no damage, 

 but much good. Soon after arriving in its summer home it begins to 

 remodel its old nest or the deserted nest of some otlier bird, and more 

 rarely, when these are not available, it builds a new one. The remod- 

 eling consists in patching uj) the sides with a few sticks and adding a 

 sparse lining of Spanish moss or green leaves. The nest is usually sit- 

 uated in the tops of the tallest trees, among the smaller branches, where 

 it is well concealed by the foliage. The full complement of eggs, 

 usually two or three in number, is deposited by the middle of May, 

 though in some cases it must be much earlier, for the writer once 

 secured a young bird in southern Louisiana the last of May which 

 already had acquired nearly the adult plumage. 



This Kite is not at all shy, and may be secured easily as it sits on some 

 tall stub ; in fact, Col. 1^. S. Goss tells of shooting a pair from the same 

 tree, as the second one did not move at the report of the gun, but looked 

 down with surprise on its fallen companion. It is said to be morose and 

 irritable in captivity and very difficult to tame. A specimen which the 

 writer once wounded was the very picture of rage as with flashing eyes 

 and erect crest it threw itself on its back and ijrepared to repel the 

 aggressor with its talons. 



