ORDER ACCIPITRES. 241 



goshawk. Those which have been attached to it are noticed 

 in the text and additions, and we have nothing interesting to 

 add upon them here. 



The generic characters of the Kites are, a beak inclined 

 from its base but feebly, and forming a hook only in the middle. 

 The back of it is contracted and angular ; the cere smooth and 

 convex ; the edges of the upper mandible are dilated, and the 

 lower is straight, obtuse, and shorter than the upper ; the nos- 

 trils are elliptical, situated obliquely, and marked with a fold 

 at the anterior edge. The tongue is oblong, fleshy and rounded 

 below, and its point is entire and thick. The tarsi are short 

 and slender, and have the upper part covered with feathers. 

 The toes are short, the exterior of the three front ones united 

 by a membrane, the intermediate little exceeding the lateral ; 

 the claws moderate, and weakly acerated. The wings, very 

 long, reach the extremity of the tail, which in one species be- 

 longing to Australasia is forked or wedged. 



The Common Kite is extended through Europe, Asia, and 

 Barbary. It is found in France in mountainous districts, and is 

 equally common here, where it frequents marshes and fresh 

 waters, and pursues ducks and other aquatic birds. It is also 

 reported to attack hares and rabbits ; field-mice, moles, rats, 

 reptiles, and large insects constitute its ordinary food, and it 

 will devour the dead fish which float upon the surface of the 

 waters. It also approaches habitations to attack the young 

 chickens, but if the hen perceives it in sufficient time, 

 her cries and resistance are sufficient to drive it away. This 

 bird shoots with rapidity from an elevated station in the air, 

 and it hovers so lightly that the motion of its wings is not per- 

 ceptible. By means of its piercing sight, it soon discovers its 

 quarr}', and stoops upon it as if it were only sliding on an in- 

 clined plane. 



The kite is considered as the emblem of cowardice. It is 

 as voracious as the crow, and yet will suffer itself to be pur- 

 sued by the latter, and will fly before birds of prey of a much 



