76 RAPTORES. MILVUS. Kite. 



Nest, &c. making its nest in the fork of a large tree. The nest is com- 

 posed of sticks, lined with wool, hair, and other soft mate- 

 rial. 



The eggs are rather larger than those of a hen, and rarely 

 exceed three in number. They are of a greyish- white, 

 speckled with brownish-orange, principally at the larger 

 end ; but sometimes they are found quite plain. 



According to Temmimck, it is met with in the different 

 departments of France ; throughout Italy, Switzerland, and 

 Germany. In Russia it is not common, and is rare in Hol- 

 land. 



Upon the Continent, it generally migrates in autumn ; but 

 it remains with us through the whole year. 



The figure represented in Plate 5. is from a female bird, 

 of middle age, and in the proportion of three-fifths of 

 the natural size. 

 General I^ill yellowish-brown at the base, towards the tip blackish- 



descrip- brown. Cere and irides king's-yellow. Head and neck 



tion. . . . 



greyish-white, streaked with lines of dusky-black, occu- 

 pying the centre of the feathers, which are narrow, and 

 sharp-pointed. Upper parts of the body and wing co- 

 verts reddish-orange, the middle of the feathers brown- 

 ish-black, the edges buff-orange. Breast, belly and 

 thighs, reddish-orange, with streaks of brownish-black. 

 Vent and under tail-coverts plain reddish-orange. Tail 

 long, and deeply forked, reddish-orange, with the tips 

 of the feathers reddish- white. Under side of the tail 

 reddish-white, barred with blackish-brown. Primary 

 quills brownish-black ; the secondary ones blackish 

 brown, passing into blackish-grey. Thighs adorned 

 with long plumes. The tarsi short and scaled, of a 

 Dutch-orange colour. Claws bluish-black, and not 

 much hooked. 



