150 



iu mid air feeding upon snakes, wliicli appeared to be 

 their favorite food in that locality. The writings of 

 Dr. Fisher show very positively, that this Kite never 

 disturbs poultry, birds or even small mammals, which 

 last named animals are so often preyed upon by 

 the smaller and weaker hawks. Dr. Pisher says: 



"The principal food of this Kite is small snakes, lizards, 

 frog's and various kinds of insects. It never molests small 

 mammals or birds, .-ijmong- insects it is especially fond of 

 wasp larvae, grasshoppers and dragon flies, and its power to 

 change the direction of flight is most inarkedly shown in 

 capiuring the latter insects, for its efforts to secure them 

 is often necessary for it to turn almost completely over iu its 

 evolutions.' 



In Florida Dr. C. Hart Merriam often saw these 

 Kites dart down and pick a wasp's nest from the un- 

 der side of a leaf of some high palmetto and Ay ofC 

 with it, devouring while on the wing, the grubs it con- 

 tained.— (Am. Nat., vol. VIII, lS7i, p. 88.) 



Mr. H. Nehrling speaks of these birds' food iu Texas 

 as follows: 



•'In August and September the birds are often seen in cot- 

 ton fields, where they feed on cotton worms and other in- 

 sects. They are particularly fond of small snakes, suoh as 

 Leptophis. Rhinostoma coccinea, lizards (Anolius carolinensis 

 and Aroeivci sex-lineata.) I have never seen them take a 

 bird or small quadruped."— Bull. Nutt. Ornlth. Club, Vol. VII, 

 1882, p. 17.1.) 



THE NEST AND EGGS. 



"It probably breeds in suitable localities throughout Its 

 range, even to the northern limit. Its nest has been taken 

 in Minnesota, and according to a very interesting note by 

 Mr. Austin F. Park, it is very probable that a pair bred in 

 Rennsselaer county. New York, in 18S6. (The .\uk. Vol. III. 

 p. 484.) In the southern part of the United States this species 

 begins to breed about the last of April or first of May, while 

 farther nortli it is past the middle of the latter month before 

 a full complement of eggs is deposited. The nest is situated 

 In the tops of the tallest trees and is placed among the smaller 

 branches, where it Is well hidden by the thick folia.g?. Oc- 

 casionally it is built toward the end of a large limb, 20 feet 

 or more from the main trunk, the supporting branch usually 

 being not more than a few inches In diameter. The neat 

 oftentimes is a rude structure, made of sticks nnlv. and re- 

 sembles closely in appearance that of some of the herons. 



