DO Syndesis of the Birds 



SUBGENUS VI. ICTIAIA. 



Ictinia, Vieill. Milans, Temm. Buteo, Cuv. 



Bill short, narrowed above ; upper mandible angularly 

 lobed ; lower distinctly notched; cere glabrous: nostrils 

 rounded. Tarsi short, slender, scutellated, feathered for a short 

 space ; outer toe connected at base by a membrane ; nails 

 short, not very acute. Wings greatly elongated ; reaching 

 much beyond the tail ; third primary longest. Tail even. 



Bold : feed on small birds, reptiles, &ic. but chiefly on 

 insects. Sail in easy circles at a considerable height in the 

 air. Intermediate between Falco and Milvus, somewhat 

 allied to Buteo. 



15. Falco plumbeus, Gm. Blackish-ash ; head, neck, and 

 beneath, considerably paler ; tail black ; cere black ; feet 

 and i rides red. 



Young bluish-black ; head and beneath whitish, spotted 

 with bluish-brown ; tail with three white bands beneath; cere 

 yellowish. 



Mississippi Kite, Falco mississipiensis, Wils. Am. Orn* Hi. 

 p. 8o.pl. ^5. fig. i. adult male. 



Inhabits the Southern States, South America, and Mexico : 

 common on the Mississippi near Natchez. 



SUBGENUS VII. ELATiUS. 



Elanus, Savigny, Cuv. Leach. Milans. Bechst. 



Elanoides, Vieill. Milans, Temm. 



Bill of middling strength, cleft beyond the eyes, much 

 compressed, rounded above ; lobe of the upper mandible ob- 

 tuse ; cere villous : nostrils oval. Tarsi short, thick, reticu- 

 lated, half feathered in front ; toes cleft to the base ; nails 

 large, acute. Wings greatly elongated : first and third pri- 

 maries subequal ; first and second strongly emarginate within, 

 the latter longest. 



Timorous, with a comparatively small and weak bill, 



