446 



BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



of the cere. Feet small, but very robust: tarsus about equal to middle toe; outer toe 

 shorter than the inner, and about equal to the hallux; web between outer and middle 

 too just apparent; claws small, but sharp, and well curved, the under surface rounded 

 and just perceptibly flattened ; middle claw with the sharp protecting lateral ridge very 

 prominent. Tarsus and toes (except terminal joint of the latter) covered uniformly with 

 minute roundish scales. Wing long; second to third quill longest; first iutormodijite 

 between second and fourth. First quill with inner web emarginatod, near the end; 

 Bocond, siuualod. Tail double- rounded, more than one half the wing. 



Elanus leucurus (Vieill.) 



WHITE TAILED KITE. 

 Popular synonym. Black-shouklcrcd Kite. 

 JUih'vs leucAirus ViEU,!.. Nouv. Diet. xx. 1813. 556. 

 Elanus leucurus Bp. 1838.— Cass, in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858. 36.— Bated. Cat, N, Am. B. 

 1859, No. 35.— CouES, Key, 1882, 211; Check List, 1874. No. 67.— B. B. cSt R. Hist. N. 

 Am. B.iii, 1874,197,198. 

 Fako dispar Tbmm. PI. Col. i. 1825, pi. 319 (=j«i\).— AuD. B. Am. 1838, pis. 351, 352: 

 Orn. Biog. iv. 1838, 367. 

 Elanus dispar Cvy.B.eg. An. od. ISlS, i, 334.- NuTT. Man. 1833. 93.— AuD. Synop. 1839, 

 13; B. Am. i. I&IO. 70, pi. 16. 

 Elanus glaucus "(Baktb.)" Coues, Proe. Phil. Acad, (ex Falco glaucus Baktk. Travels, 

 1791, 290); 2d Check List, 1882, No. 492.— Eidgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881. No. 427. 

 Hab. The whole of continental tropical and subtropical America; south to Paraguay, 

 Argentine Republic, and Chili, north to southern United States (Texas to Florida and 

 South Carolina), Indian Territory, New Mexico, and California; occasional (breeding?) in 

 extreme southern portion of IlUnois. 



Sp. Chab. Adult. Upper surface, including occiput, nape, interscapulars, scapu- 

 lars, rump, upper tail-coverts, and wings (except lesser and middle coverts), soft, deli- 

 cate, rather light bluish cinereous, becoming gradu.illy white on the anterior portion of 

 the head, above. Rest of the head, with the tail, lining of the wing, and entire lower 

 parts, pure white, sometimes with a very faint tinge of pale pearl-blue, laterally beneath; 

 two middle tail-feathers ashy, but much lighter than the rump; shafts of tall-feathers 

 black, except toward ends. Bristly loral feathers (forming ante-orbital spot, extending 

 narrowly above the eye), a very large patch on the shoulder, covering lesser and middle 

 wing-coverts, and large quadrate spot on under side of wing (on first row of primary 

 coverts), deep black. Under side of primaries deep cinereous (darker than outer surface) : 

 under surface of secondaries nearly white. Second quill longest; third scarcely shorter 

 (sometimes equal, or even longest); first longer than, or equal to the fourth. Tail 

 slightly emarginated, the longest feather (next to outer) being about .50 longer than the 

 middle, and .60 (or more) longer than the lateral, which is shortest. 



Male. Wing.ll. 80-12.50; tail, 7. 30-7.00; culmen. .66-.80; tarsus. 1.30-L50: middle toe. 1.00- 

 1.15 (eight specimens). 



Female. Wing.ll. 60-12. 75; tail, 7.20-7.80; culmen, .70-.72; tarsus, 1.25-1. 40; middle too, 

 1.10-1.20 (eight specimens). 



Specimens not perfectly adult have the prunary coverts, second- 

 aries, and inner primaries, slightly tipped with white. 



Still younger individuals have these white tips broader, the tail 

 more' ashy, and the upper parts with numerous feathers of dull 

 bro\Mi, tipped narrowly with white ; the breast with sparse longitud- 

 inai touches of brownish. 



