THE SWALLOW-TAILED KITE. 295 



back and upper portions are dark brown, relieved by a reddish tinge 

 upon the edges of tlie feathers ; the primaries are black, and the upper 

 tail-coverts chestnut. There is a little white upon the edges of the 

 tertiaries, and the head and back of the neck are covered with grayish- 

 white feathers, the centre of each feather being streaked with brown. 

 The forked tail is reddish brown, barred on the under surface with 

 dark brown stripes, the centre lieathers being the darkest. The chin 

 and throat are colored like the head, and the abdomen and under por- 

 tions are reddish brown. The under tail-coverts are white, with a 

 slight reddish tinge, and the under surface of the rectrices is also 

 white, but washed with gray. 



The beautiful bird which is so well known under the appropriate title 

 of the Swallow-tailed Kite is ^n inhabitant of various parts of 

 America, though it has occasionally been noticed on the British shores. 



This bird bears so strong an external resemblance to the swallow that 

 it might easily be taken for a common swallow or swift, as it flies cir- 

 cling in the air in search of the insect prey on which it usually feeds. 

 Even the flight is very much of the same character in both birds, and 

 the mode of feeding very similar. The usual food of the Swallow- 

 tailed Kite consists of the larger insects, which it either catches on the 

 wing or snatches I'rom the leaves as it shoots past the bushes. Rep- 

 tiles, such as small snakes, lizards, and frogs, also form part of the 

 food of this elegant bird. While it is engaged in the pursuit of such 

 prey, or in catching the large insects upon the branches, it may be ap- 

 proached and shot without much difficulty, as it is so intent upon its 

 prey that it fails to notice its human foe. 



The nest of the Swallow-tailed Kite is generally found on the very 

 summit of some lofty rock or pine, and is almost invariably in the near 

 vicinity of water. It is composed of small sticks externally, and is 

 lined with grasses, moss, and feathers. The eggs are rather more nu- 

 merous than is generally the case with the hawks, being from four to 

 six in number. Their color is white with a greenish tinge, and they 

 are marked with some dark brown blotches which are gathered toward 

 the larger end. There is only one brood in the year, and when the 

 young birds are first hatched th^y are covered with a uniformly buft- 

 colored downy coat. The color of the adult bird is variable, consist- 

 ing mostly of white and black, but, on account of the bold manner in 

 which their hues are contrasted, is remarkably pleasing in its effect. 

 The back, the upper part of the wings, with the exception of the inner 

 webs of the tertiaries, upper tail-coverts, and rectrices, are a deep pur- 

 ple-black, the head, neck, and all other parts of the plumage being 

 pure white. The legs and toes are blue with a green tinge, the cere is 

 blue, and the beak blue-black. The claws are orange-brown. The 

 length of this bird averages twenty inches. 



