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bution, since it not only inhabits Australia, but appears to 
extend its range through the (so-called) Indian Islands, to the 
peninsula of India. Mr. Gurney informs us, that it occurs in 
Macassar, and certainly in India as far north as Nipal, though 
it is generally confounded, in the latter country, with its larger 
relative HW. govinda. In every assemblage of Indian Kites, 
there is much disparity of size, some males being considerably 
smaller than the largest females, and the former would seem to 
be undistinguishable from the Australian Afinis, but I am not 
disposed to accept the opinion, that there are two separable 
races of Milvus, in the Indian and Indo-Chinese sub-regions. 
In Mr. Gould’s representations of the Common Pariah Kite of 
India, (Part IV. of the Birds of Asia) the cere and feet should 
have been coloured of a much paler or dull light sulphur yellow, 
or what might rather be termed, dull yellowish white ; while the 
dark iris is correct, and conspicuously distinguishes both this 
species and JZ. melanotis when alive, from M. migrans, as may 
now be seen in the Zoological gardens.” 
On this, Mr. Gurney made the following note: ‘“ With refer- 
ence to the question of the supposed occurrence in India of 
Milvus afjinis, 1 may mention, as one distinction between that 
species and the smaller individuals of JL. govinda, that so far 
as I have observed, there is no appreciable difference between 
the old and young bird in the former, whilst in the latter, it is 
very strongly marked, as it is also in Jf. medanotis, if we may 
follow Mr. Blyth in considering this a distinct race.” 
It is to be hoped, that observers in India, in all parts, will 
from time to time, kill specimens of all the Kites big and little, 
that they see about them, and preserve these, recording length, 
weight, expanse and sex. No collection in the world, contains 
a really good series of the Indian Kite, not even my own, and 
until such a series be got together, and carefully examined, it is 
impossible to say whether Afinis and Melanotis do, or do not 
occur in India. 
As regards these two species, the following is Mr. Gould’s 
description of W. affinis :— 
“The sexes are nearly alike in size and colouring. Feathers 
of the head, and the back and sides of the neck reddish fawn 
colour, with a central stripe of dark blackish brown; all the 
upper surface glossy brown inclining to chocolate, and passing 
into reddish brown on the wing coverts, the shaft of each fea- 
ther being black, and the extreme tip pale brown ; primaries 
black ; secondaries blackish brown ; tail which is slightly forked, 
brown, crossed by several, indistinct bars of a darker tint, and 
each feather tipped with greyish white; throat brownish fawn 
