228 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL. 



11-3; tarsus, 2-1 to 2'25 ; bill from gape, 1-7 to 1-75 ; bill at 

 front, 1'35 to 1*44 ; tarsus feathered in front, 1 '0 to 1*2 ; closed 

 Tsangs short of end of tail, 1"5 to 2'6. 



Bill black ; cere light greenish yellow ; gape yellow j irides 

 dark brown ; feet pale greenish yellow ; claws black. 



The twelve specimens here entered were all shot in the valley. 

 Three speeimes, not fully mature, had the feet faintly greenish 

 grey without a trace of yellow colour. Is this colour of the 

 feet to be regarded as an individual peculiarity merely ? It can 

 hardly be due to age solely, as four young birds just out of 

 the nest, but still unable to fly, had the feet greenish-yellow, 

 only a little paler than in the adult. Unless indeed, we sup- 

 pose, what is hardly probable, that the bird has the feet at 

 first yellow, and that when about a year old these parts lose 

 the yellow colour but regain it when the bird is fully adult. 

 All the specimens have a mottled white patch on the under 

 surface of the primaries, and in three or four examples this 

 patch is so extensive and so nearly pure white that the birds 

 may possibly be referable to M. melanotis rather than to 

 govinda ; but as these birds are not fully adult, it is impossible 

 to make sure of this point. 



The Common Kite is found in abundance in the valley 

 of Nepal, the Nawakot district, and in the lower hills. Dun 

 and Tarai from the valley down to the plains. It is a perma- 

 nent resident in the valley, and breeds there from January to 

 April. 



56 6is.— Milvus melanotis, Tern, ei Schl. 



On three or four occasions I saw a Kite in the valley which 

 appeared to be considerably larger than the ordinary one, nnd 

 was furthur distinguishable by its rather different flight, and by 

 having a larger patcli of white on the under surface of the 

 wing. The bird, however, was alwaj^s so wary and difficult of 

 approach that I failed to secure a specimen. I have already noted 

 under the head of M. govinda that some immature specimens 

 which I obtained might be examples of M. melanotis ; at all 

 events the Large Kite, whether really distinct from govinda 

 or only a rare phase of that species, undoubtedly occurs in the 

 valley of Nepal. 



56 ^^r.— Milvus affinis, Gould. 



Two males. — Length, 22"5 to 23*5 ; expanse, 54'3 to 56-5 ; 

 wing, 17 to 17*5 ; tail, 10'8 to 11 ; tarsus, 2 ; tarsus feathered 

 in front, 0'9 to I'O; bill from gape, 1-55 to 1-6; bill from 

 anterior margin of cere, 1*05; length of cere, 0*48; mid-toe, 

 1*6 to 1"65 ; closed wings short of tail, 1*8 to 2'1. 



