659 



fishermen's huts, on caravan roads, and near water. It is not at all particular as regards its 

 habitat ; for it is equally at home on the tower of a mosque, the flat roof of a dwelling-house, 

 on ruins, in palm-groves, and in cemeteries. During the daytime it is frequently seen in market- 

 places, slaughter-houses, in the streets, and in places where rubbish and offal is cast out ; and it 

 puts in an appearance with Vultures at carcasses. It feeds on offal of every description, on 

 chickens, rats, bats, reptiles, and beetles, and will pounce down and steal fish from the fisher- 

 men's baskets and flesh from the butchers' stalls. Marquis Antinori relates that when in Central 

 Africa he was one day eating a Francolin outside his hut, and that just as he was lifting a leg 

 to his mouth a Kite swooped down and tore it out of his hand, slightly wounding his fore 

 finger and lip in so doing. Mr. Ayres remarks (Ibis, 1859, p. 239): — "These Kites seem to 

 have a very acute sense of smell ; for they invariably appear with or before the Vultures to feed 

 on any ox that may have died, and will (when afraid to settle, in consequence of the Ravens or 

 other birds) dart down and tear off pieces of flesh with their talons, and devour them whilst 

 flying, after which they will return and take more in a similar manner." 



In Egypt, Von Heuglin says, it breeds from February to May ; and the nest, which is rather 

 loosely constructed of dried twigs, was generally found by him on palm trees ; but it nests also 

 on mosques and ruins ; and Dr. Tristram took two eggs in a cliff near the sources of the Jordan 

 the last week in May. Mr. E. C. Taylor writes (Ibis, 1867, p. 53) that he found it breeding in 

 Egypt in great numbers in Februaiy and March, and took many eggs, several of which were 

 quite white without any spots. In one nest he found the dried-up carcasses of two rats, which 

 formed part of its lining. 



I am indebted to Mr. Taylor for several eggs of this Kite, which are much like those of the 

 Black Kite, but are a trifle smaller and more sparingly marked. 



As this bird so closely resembles Milvus migrans, I have deemed best not to figure it. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser, 

 a, 2 ad. Thebes, March 1864 (E. C. Taylor), b, 6 juv. Esneh, Upper Egypt, March 2nd, 1863 (/. Barrett). 



E Mus. Brit. Reg. 



a, b, ad. Egypt, c, d,juv. Egypt {Shelley), e, <$ ad. Ankober, February 1842. f, ad. Angollallah, October 

 1842 (Harris). g,S ad.,h,2- Lake Ashangi and Senafe (W. T. Blanford). i, ad. River Niger (Dr. 

 Baikie). k. South Africa. I. Madagascar. 



E Mus. Norv. 



a, ad. Egypt (Parzudaki). b, d juv. Nubia (Verreaux). c, 2 . Abyssinia (Verreaux). d,S,e,2- Rissao 

 (Verreaux). fjuv. Damara Land (Andersson). g, 6 ad. Port Natal (Ayres). h, ? ad. Madagascar 

 (Verreaux). i, $. Madagascar (E. Newton), k. Joanna Islands, Africa (Dr. Dickerson). I, m. River 

 Niger (Dr. Baikie). 



