THE OSPREY. 



An Illustrated Ivlagazlne of Popular Ornithology. 



P<iblisi)ed MloDtbly. 



Volume I. (New Series). JUNE, 1902. Numbbr 6. 



THE MISSISSIPPI KITE (ICTINIA MISSISSIPPIENSIS). 

 By Albert Franklyn Ganier, Vicksburg, Miss. 



The Mississippi Kite is well distributed over Warren County, Miss. ; in 

 fact it is by far our most common bird of prey, inhabiting hill-land and swamp- 

 country in apparently equal numbers. 



Ictmia riiississ)j>2)iensis is our only representative of the kite kind with 

 the exception of the swallow-tailed which pays us an occasional visit during 

 migration. Late in the spring, about the last of April, the Mississippi Kite 

 returns from its winter home and takes up the range occupied the previous 

 year. I cannot say whether they remain mated through life or not, but I be- 

 lieve they do, as they will use a nest for several seasons if unmolested. Once 

 more in their summer retreats they begin to reline the old nest, or in case 

 there is a new one to be built they do not delay long to gather materials. 



While on a trip in the northern part of this county during the early part 

 of last June, I had the opportunity to observe a pair building a nest in a tall 

 gum tree in the edge of a small wood. Having noticed them darting in among 

 the trees from an adjoining field I soon guessed what they were about, and, 

 having made my way unobserved through the low bushes until I was almost 

 under the tree which seemed to receive most of their attention, I hid myself 

 in order to bettor observe the action of the birds. 



On looking up I was surprised to find them soaring high in the air, ap- 

 parently with nothing more upon their mind than to satisfy their appetites. 

 Suddenly, however, one of them remained stationary for a second, then with 

 half-closed wings came swift as an arrow down through the trees and reap- 

 peared above my head with an oak twig in his talons; wheeling, he sailed 

 swiftly upward to a crotch in a gum tree, which showed a bunch of sticks, the 



