36 CASSELL'S BOOK OF BIRDS. 



" Its flight is graceful, vigorous, protracted, and often extended to a great height, the Fork- 

 tailed Hawk being the only species that can compete with it. At times it floats in the air as if 

 motionless, or sails in broad, regular circles, when, suddenly closing its wings, it glides along to 

 some distance and renews its curves. Now it sweeps, in deep and long undulations, with the 

 swiftness of an arrow, passing almost within touching distance of a branch on which it has observed a 

 small lizard, or an insect it longs for, but from which it again ascends disappointed. Now it is seen 

 to move in hurried zig-zags, as if pursued by a dangerous enemy, sometimes seeming to turn over and 

 over like a Tumbling Pigeon ; or it may be observed flying round the trunk of a tree to secure large 

 insects, sweeping with astonishing velocity. While travelling, it moves in the desultory manner 

 followed by Swallows, but at other times it is seen in company with the Fork-tailed Hawk, at a great 

 elevation, among the large flocks of Carrion Crows and Turkey Buzzards, dashing at the former and 

 giving them chase, as if in play, until these cowardly scavengers sweep downwards ; it then abandons 

 this apparently agreeable sport to the Hawks, who now continue to gambol undisturbed. When 

 in pursuit of a large insect or a small reptile, this Kite turns its body sideways, throws out its legs, 

 extends its talons, and generally seizes its prey in an instant. It feeds while on wing, apparently 

 with as much ease and comfort as when on the branch of a tall tree. It never alights on the ground ; 

 at least, I have never seen it do so, except when wounded, and then it appears extremely awkward. 

 It never attacks birds, or quadrupeds of any kind, with a view of destroying them for food, although 

 it will chase a fox to a considerable distance, screaming loudly all the while, and soon forces a Crow 

 to retreat to the woods." 



The eyrie of the Mississippi Kite is always placed at the summit of a lofty tree, the magni- 

 ficent white oaks and magnolias with which the Southern States are so plentifully adorned being 

 usually preferred. The nest is very simple in its construction, resembling that of the Common Crow ; 

 it is composed of twigs thrown lightly together, and lined with Spanish moss, dry leaves, and the bark 

 of the wild vine. The eggs, two or three in number, are round and of a green colour, thickly covered 

 with black or dark chocolate spots. Both parents assist in the work of incubation, and protect 

 their young with so much ardour that they mil even attack men, should they attempt to molest the 

 little family. The nestlings when first fledged resemble their parents, and attain their full beauty of 

 plumage before their first migration. The capture of these birds is not difficult, for, though they fly 

 at a very considerable height, they are by no means shy, and, when perched at the summit of a lofty 

 tree, are easily brought down with the gun. 



The CROOKED-BILLED KITES (Cymindis) are recognised by their lengthy bodies and 



unusually long and pointed wings, in which the fourth quill is the longest ; the tail is of con- 

 siderable length, composed of broad feathers, and rounded slightly at its tip ; the feet are short and 

 weak, the tarsi slender, and partially covered with feathers on the upper side ; the toes are feeble, 

 and furnished with thin, but slightly curved and very long talons ; the beak is high, and much com 

 pressed at its sides ; the culmen is narrow, and the margin straight ; the upper mandible extendi 

 considerably beyond the under portion of the beak, and terminates in a hook ; the plumage is very 

 rich, and composed of large feathers ; its markings resemble those of the Hawks. 



THE BUZZARD KITE. 



The Buzzard Kite (Cymindis uncinatus) is sixteen inches in length and thirty-three inches broad ; 



the wing measures eleven and the tail seven inches. The plumage of the adult male is uniform light 



grey, shaded with blue, somewhat lighter on the lower parts of the body ; the wing and tail-feathers 



are of the same pale shade, striped with deep grey — a broad white line passes over the base of the 



