536 MILVUS 



dull yellowish white or honey-yello\v tips giving the bird a spotted 

 appearance, these tips being also larger on the crown and nape ; iris dark. 



Hob. Central and southern Europe, of rare occurrence in 

 northern Europe ; has once been obtained in England ; Africa 

 south to the Cape ; Cape Verde Islands ; Madagascar ; Asia as- 

 far east as Afghanistan. 



As a rule it is a shyer bird than the Kite, and more .buoyant 

 and graceful on the wing. It frequents woodlands, especially 

 near water, and preys on frogs, fish, small mammals, and will 

 also feed on offal and carrion. Its cry is a shrill whistling 

 call, easily distinguishable to a practised ear from that of M. 

 ictinus. Its nest resembles that of the Buzzard, and is placed 

 in a tree, and the eggs, from 2 to 4 in number, are deposited 

 in April or May, and resemble those of the Kite and Buzzard, 

 but are as a rule smaller, averaging in size about 2*0 by 1'64. 



753. BLACK-EARED KITE. 

 MILVUS MELANOTIS. 



Milvus melanotis, Temm. and Sclilegel, Faun. Jap. Aves, p. 14, pis. v. 

 vb. (1850) ; Dresser, ix. p. 277 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. i. p. 324 ; 

 Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 46 ; Blanf. F. Brit. Incl. Birds, iii. p. 377 ; ; 

 M. major, Hume, Rough Notes, ii. p. 326 (1870). 



Korschun-tscliernouchey , Russ. ; AchaJc-Koyruk-sa, Mizan-sa,. 

 Turki ; Tonibi, Jap. 



< ad. (Siberia). Differs from M. migrans in having the feathers on 

 the head margined with rufous brown and not white ; ear-coverts blackish ; ; 

 under parts paler and less rufous in colour, and the inner webs of the 

 quills white at the base, forming a conspicuous white patch on the under 

 wing-surface ; bill bluish ; cere yellowish white ; iris hazel-brown ; legs 

 dull china-white. Culmen 1*7, wing 19'3, tail 13*0, tarsus 2*3 inch. 



Hal). From the Perm Government in Russia across Asia to 

 Japan ; in Siberia north to 64 N. Lat., south to Mongolia, 

 Manchuria, Corea, China, the Himalayas, Burma, and in India 

 south to Bombay in the cold season. 



Frequents jungles, groves, and marshes, and in general habits 

 resembles M. migrans. and like that species feeds on frogs, fish,, 

 small mammals, etc. It breeds from January to May, its 

 nest and eggs being similar to those of M. migrans, the latter 

 measuring about 2 '31 by 1/8. 



