SWALLOW-TAILED KITE. 103 



ACCIPITRE8. FALCON ID M. 



NAUCLERUS FUBCATUS (Linnaeus*). 

 THE SWALLOW-TAILED KITE. 



Nauclerus furcatus. 



NAUCLERUS, Vigors-^. " Bill small, weak, considerably hooked, with a small 

 and nearly obsolete festoon in the middle. Orbits and sides of the head thinly 

 provided with feathers. Wings very long ; the first and second quill internally 

 emarginate towards the tip. Tail very long and deeply forked. Tarsi very short, 

 not longer than the hind toe and claw ; plumed half way in front, the remaining 

 portion covered with angulated scales. Toes short ; the two lateral almost equal, 

 the hinder nearly equal to the inner. Claws grooved beneath." Swainson j. 



Two specimens of this bird having been apparently taken 

 in this country, it is, in the opinion of some persons, entitled 

 to a place in this work. The first of these two examples 

 occurred at Ballachulish in Argyleshire in 1772, and is 

 recorded by the late Dr. Walker, Professor of Natural 

 History in the University of Edinburgh, in his manuscript 

 journal or ' Adversaria ' for that year, the fact having been 

 first published by Fleming in his ' History of British 



* Falco furcatus, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. Ed. 12, i. p. 129 (1766). 



f Zoological Journal, ii. p. 386 (1825). 



t Natural History and Classification of Bh-ds, ii. p. 210. 



