Birds of Madagascar. 201 



I. — The Kapacious Birds. 



The Rapacious Birds (Table I. pp. 202-3) of Madagascar, 

 as will be seen by the list, comprise 22 species, the majority- 

 being various kinds of Hawks, Kites, and Buzzards, but 

 including also several Owls and two Eagles, but no Vultures. 



The most common bird of this Order is the Papango, or 

 Egyptian Kite {Milvus (Bgyptius), a large bird of almost 

 world-wide distribution and found all over the island. It 

 may be seen every day flying gracefully along in search of 

 the lizards and snakes, and the mice, rats and young birds, 

 which form its chief food, and continually swooping down 

 upon its prey. Towards the end of the rainless season, when 

 the long dry grass is burned on the bare hills and downs of 

 the interior, the Papkngo may be noticed sweeping backwards 

 and forwards close to the edge of the blazing grass, so as to 

 pick up the smaller creatures escaping the advancing flames, 

 or those which have been overtaken by them and killed. I 

 have occasionally observed several hundreds of these Hawks 

 in the neighbourhood of Ambohimanga, hovering in the air 

 or describing great circles at an immense height, and have 

 wondered how such large numbers could obtain food. The 

 Eev. R. Baron says, " Large numbers of these birds occupy 

 the same roosting-places at night. At Ambohidratrimo they 

 take their position in the trees on the west side of the town, 

 while the Crows roost in those on the east side.^' 



This bird is the dread and detestation of the country- 

 dwelling Malagasy, for it swoops down upon their chickens 

 and pigeons, and is only scared away by their loud cries and 

 execrations. From these habits comes one of its provincial 

 names, Tsimilaho,\. e.,"The-one-who-does-not-ask,^^ but takes 

 without saying " By your leave.^' It is constantly seen in 

 company with the White-necked Crows, and, like them, feeds 

 near the villages, especially where oxen are killed. Although 

 it does often carry off the people^s fowls, it is very useful in 

 destroying vermin. The name Papango, says M. Grandidier, 

 comes from the words, papy, to watch for, and angona, a 

 meeting, because these birds hover continually above the 



