BTRDS OF PREY. 



41 



migrations. They usually make their appearance in Europe about March, and leave for warmer 

 climates in October ; when the winter, however, has proved exceptionally mild, some stragglers have 

 been known to remain with us throughout the entire year. The Royal Kites live in pairs, except when 

 about to migrate, at which time they congregate in large parties containing from fifty to a hundred, 

 which fly about in search of food during the day, and pass the night upon trees. These wandering 

 bands extend their flight as far as North-western Africa, but we have rarely seen them in Egypt. 



In times not very remote these Kites seem to have played in England the part of scavengers, 

 much in the same way as the Parasite Kite and Govinda now do in India, for Pennant informs us 

 that in the days of Henry VIII. they flew fearlessly about the streets of London, and cleansed 

 them of the mass of filth, which must otherwise have tainted the air with poisonous vapours. To kill 

 one of these feathered scavengers was, in that reign, a punishable offence. 



The Royal Kites are indolent and cowardly; they frequently hover for a quarter of an hour in the 

 air without any perceptible movement of the wings, merely steer- 

 ing their course by means of their broad tail, by the aid of which 

 they can likewise soar to an enormous height. When upon the 

 ground their gait is extremely awkward, consisting rather of shuff- 

 ling hops than of regular steps. In disposition they resemble 

 the species we have already described. Their voice is monoto- 

 nous and somewhat bleating in its tone, but this sound is varied 

 during the breeding season by a tremulous note, sometimes em- 

 ployed at other seasons to express pleasure or contentment. 

 They live upon small quadrupeds, unfledged birds, snakes, toads, 

 frogs, grasshoppers, beetles, and worms; and though they occasion- 

 ally annoy the farmer by stealing a chicken, or the sportsman by 

 pouncing upon a young hare, these trifling offences are not 

 worth speaking of when we consider the valuable services ren- 

 dered by them, for without their most timely aid entire crops 

 would be destroyed. Dozens of mice are often devoured by one 

 Kite in the course of a single day, and incalculable hosts of 

 noxious insects are also consumed by these active but much-reviled 

 friends of the farmer and gardener. When about to breed they 

 prefer taking possession, if possible, of a Falcon's eyrie or Crow's 



old nest, but should this be impossible, they build much in the same manner as the Kites above 

 described. The eggs, usually two, sometimes three in number, are laid about April, and are white, 

 spotted with red. The female alone broods, and her mate busies himself in procuring food. The 

 young are reared like others of their congeners. The Royal Kite is easily tamed, and, according 

 to our own experience, may be considered as the most interesting and pleasing of all caged Birds 



of Prey. 



THE SWALLOW- TAILED KITE. 



The Swallow-tailed Kite {Naucknts furcatus) is a most beautiful member of this group, 

 belonging to Southern and Central America ; many of this species have, however, from time to time 

 found their way to Europe, and it may therefore be considered as in some measure belonging to our 

 continent. This remarkable bird is distinguished by its powerful bod)', short neck, and small but 

 powerful head. Its wings, which in shape resemble those of the Swallow, are long, and gradually 

 pointed ; their third quill being longer than the rest. The tail is very long, and so deeply forked that 

 the exterior feathers are twice as long as those in the centre ; the beak, which is of no great size, and 

 VOL. II. — 45 



THE RED OR ROYAL KITE 

 [Milvus ruga lis). 



