ZOOLOGICAL, DEPARTMENT. 61 



never seen one in Michigan; F. M. Falconer writes me ''not very rare in the spring of 

 1892, at Hillsdale v ; "throughout the state" (A. H. Boies); embraced in Fox's list of J853 

 of Birds about Detroit; Mr. L. W. Watkins tells me that they are common in Jackson and 

 Washtenaw counties every year; they are never seen here; Dr. Atkins makes no men- 

 tion of them; C. J. Davis, Lansing. Michigan, has one in his collection taken at Fow- 

 lerville, Livingston Co.; "becoming more common each year" (Dr. M. Gibbs); Prof. J. 

 W. Simmons has taken them in Van Buren Co.; Geo. D. Sones, of Fresno, Cal., writes 

 me that he took them at Ross, Kent Co., in 1836 and 1887; "more common than 

 formerly in Wayne Co." (J. B. Purdy); "rare in Monroe Co., where a nest with two 

 young was taken at Petersburg, in June, 1890" (Jerome Trombley); "Mr. Elmer Durfee 

 took female and two eggs in Kent Co. in 1892, in the large end of a hollow tree in a 

 swamp" (Dr. W. C. Brownell); "breeds in Wayne and Kent counties" (J. B. Purdy); 

 " occasional in Kent Co., two eggs were taken by me in 1'391, in Allegan Co., the only 

 ones taken in the state " (S. E. White). 



SUBORDER FALCONES. VULTURES; FALCONS; HAWKS, ETC. 

 FAMILY FALCONID^E. VULTURES; FALCONS; HAWKS, ETC. 



Diurnal birds of prey; feed on mice, insects and other birds; like the owls, benefi- 

 cial, as determined by extensive research by United States government investigators; 

 most of the species feed almost exclusively on mice and insects; (See "Hawks and Owls 

 of the United States in their Relation to Agriculture," by Dr. A. K. Fisher, Department 

 of Agriculture, Washington, 1893); eggs, like those of the owls/ nearly spherical, 

 usually specked. 



SUBFAMILY ACCIPITRIX^. KITES; BUZZARDS; HAWKS, ETC. 

 GENUS ELANOIDES VIEILL. 



141-327-(493). Elanoides forlicatus (Linn.). SWALLOW-TAILED KITE. 



Said to occur in Michigan; probably an accidental straggler, as the bird is a great 

 wanderer; reported in our fauna by the late D. D. Hughes; a pair shot in Monroe Co., 

 June 19, 1882 (see Bulletin of Nuttall Ornithological Club, Vol. VIII, Oct., 1882, p. 250). 

 The late Mr. Collins secured a specimen near his home in Detroit. 



GENUS ELANUS SAVIG. 



142-328- (492). Elanus lencurns Vieill. * WHITE-TAILED KITE; BLACK-SHOULDERED 



KITE. 



Very rare; Dr. H. A. Atkins reports taking it at Locke, Ingham Co.; Mr. S. E. 

 White writes me that he took one in Kent Co.. April 10, 1888, and has. the specimen ; 

 Mr. A. B. Covert reports taking two specimens in Washtenaw Co.; "extremely doubt- 

 ful, are the specimens preserved? " A. K. Fisher. 



GENUS ICTINIA VIEELL. 



143-329 (491). Ictinia mississippiensis (Wils.). MISSISSIPPI KITE. 



Said to occur in Michigan; exceedingly rare; the late Hon. D. D. Hughes reported 

 one specimen from Cass Co.; Prof. A. W. Butler gives it as a rare visitor in Northern 

 Indiana. 



