THE BIRD BOOK 



328, BRHI 



329. MISSISSIPPI KITE. 



Ictinia mississippiensis. 



Range. Southeastern United States, north 

 to South Carolina and Illinois. 



White-tailed Kite 



Mississippi Kite 



Bluish white 



A small species ( length 14 inches) with the 

 head, neck, and undeparts gray, and the back, 

 wings and tail blackish, the tips of the secon- 

 daries being grayish. They live almost ex- 

 clusively upon insects, such as grasshoppers, 

 and small reptiles. They build their nests of sticks and weeds well up in tall 

 trees. The eggs are two or three in number and normally bluish white, un- 

 marked, but occasionally with very faint spots of pale brown. Size 1.65 x 1.25. 

 Data. Giddings, Texas, May 31, 1887. Nest of sticks and weeds, with green 

 pecan leaves in the lining; placed in the top of a live oak sapling, 20 feet from 

 the ground. Collector, J. A. Singley. 



330. EVERGLADE KITE. Rostrhamus sociabilis. 



Range. South America, north to southern Florida and Mexico. 



This peculiar species has a long, slender, curved bill, blackish plumage, with 

 white rump and bases of outer tail feather. They feed largely upon snails, 

 both land and water varieties. They nest at a low elevation in bushes or under 

 brush, often over the water. The nests are 

 of sticks, weeds and leaves. The three eggs 

 are light greenish white, spotted and splashed 



Pale greenish white 



with chestnut brown. Size, 1.70 x 1.30. Nest 

 in a custard apple tree, 6 feet from the ground, 

 built of twigs, lined with small vine stems and f 

 willow leaves. 



202 



Everglade Kite 



