374 



peculiar squealing sound, uttered on the wing. The breeding- 

 season is from December to February to the southward, later in 

 Northern India, and two eggs, or occasionally three, are laid in a 

 stick-nest placed on a tree and sometimes lined with leaves or 

 other material. The eggs are greyish white, unspotted or scantily 

 speckled or blotched with reddish brown, and measure about 2-02 

 by 1-65. 



The name of Brahminy Kite is due to the association of this 

 bird with Vishnu. 



Genus MILVUS, Cuvier, 1800. 



The true Kites belong to the present genus, and are all birds of 

 moderate size, with a long forked tail. The bill is rather weak, 

 the culmen straight at the base, then curved, the festoon generally 

 small, the cere well developed, and the nostril oval and oblique. 

 Wings long and pointed, but not extending quite to the end of 

 the tail ; 3rd and 4th quills longest. Tarsus short, feathered for 

 about half its length, the naked lower portion with broad shields 

 in front, reticulated behind and at the sides ; toes short, scuteilate 

 above, lateral toes uneven ; claws moderate, middle claw dilated on 

 the inside. 



Five or six species are known, inhabiting Europe, Africa, Asia, 

 and Australia : one of these is amongst the commonest of Indian 

 birds, a second has a wide range in India, but is rare, whilst the 

 third just comes within the empire to the westward. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Head tawny or rufous with black streaks in 



adults. 

 a'. Wing rf 1675 to 18'5 inches ; $ 17 to 



19-5 M. govinda, p. 374. 



V. Wing tf 19-20-5 ; 19-25-21-5 M. melanotis,^. 377. 



b. Head whitish with black streaks in adults . . M. miyrans, p. 378. 



1229. Milvus govinda. The Common Pariah Kite. 



Milvus govinda, Sykes, P. Z. S. 1832, p. 81 ; Layard, A. M. N. H. 

 (2) xii, p. 103; Horsf. $ M. Cat. i, p. 30; Jerdon, B. I. i, p. 104 ; 

 Blyth, Ibis, 1866, p. 248 ; Stoliczka, J. A. S. B. xxxvii, pt. 2, p. 16 : 

 xli, pt. 2, p. 231; Hume, Hough Notes, p. 320; Godw.-Aust. 

 J.A.S. B. xxxix, pt. 2, p. 93 ; Blanf. J. A. S. B. xli, pt. 2, p. 43 ; 

 A. Anderson, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 79 ; Hume, S. F. i, p. 160 ; ii, p. 150 ; 

 iv, pp. 282, 462 ; Sharpe, Cat, B. M. i, p. 325 ; Blyth, Birds Burm. 

 p. 64 ; Brooks, 8. F. iii, p. 275 ; iv, p. 272 ; id. Ibis, 1885, p. 385 ; 

 Butler, 8. F. iii, p. 448; ix, p. 374; Wardl. Hams. Ibis, 1877, 

 p. 454; Oates, 8. F. vii, p. 44; Ball, 8. F. vii, p. 200; Hume, 

 Cat. no. 56 ; Gurney, Ibis, 1879, p. 76 ; Bingham, S. F. viii, 

 p. 191 ; Scully, ibid. p. 227 ; id. Ibis, 1881, p. 422 ; Legge, Birds 

 Ceyl. p. 80; Vidal, 8. F. ix, p. 34; Damson, S. F. x, p. 340; 

 Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 54; id. Jour. Bom. N. H. 8oc. i, p. 41 ;. 

 St. John, Ibis, 1889, p. 153 ; Oates in Hume's N. $ E. 2nd ed. iii,. 

 p. 173. 



