58 KITE. 



the same. The bars on the upper surface shew through to 

 the under; upper tail coverts, rufous, or reddish orange; under 

 tail coverts the same; legs, yellow or orange, short, scaled, 

 and feathered about an inch below the knee. The toes are 

 small in proportion to the size of the bird: the outer and 

 middle ones are united by a membrane; claws, black, or bluish 

 black, and not much hooked. 



The female is considerably larger than the male; length, two 

 feet four inches. Her plumage inclines more to grey and 

 orange than his. The feathers on her head become gradually 

 more grey, until they fade to a pale hoary white. The young, 

 when first fully fledged, are of a deep red, especially on the 

 back, and the central markings of the feathers are darker and 

 larger than in the adult bird; the head and neck are also 

 darker. The iris is yellowish brown ; the feathers on the back 

 have a tinge of purple; the bars on the tail are more distinct, 

 and the colour of it is darker than in the old bird. 



After the first moult, the young birds nearly acquire their 

 perfect plumage. The central dark markings on the feathers 

 become less, and their red edges paler with advancing age. 



The varieties of this species as to size and colour, though 

 not unfrequent, are unimportant. 



