ELANUS. J- 1 ' 



The eggs appear to differ in no very perceptible degree from those 

 of the Common House-Kite except in size. Even this difference is 

 not very marked in all specimens. Out of 273 Common Kites' eggs, 

 the average dimensions are 2'19 by 1-77, the longest egg measured 

 2' 35, and the broadest I'So. About one iu ten of these eggs ex- 

 ceeded 2-29 in length. Of the 13 eggs of MUvug melanotis now 

 before me, only one falls short of 2-3 in length or 1'8 in width, 

 and the largest egg measures 2-43 by 1'85. Taken as a body they 

 are conspicuously larger than those of the ordinary Milvus rjovinda. 

 As before remarked, in general appearance and colour they resemble 

 the eggs of this latter, but some of them are perhaps more richly 

 marked than any that I have met with amongst these. 



They vary in length from 2-23 to 2'43 inches, and in breadth 

 from 1'75 to 1'88 inch ; but the average of thirteen eggs is 2-31 by 

 1-8 inch. 



Elanus caeruleus (Desf.). The Blach-winged Kite. 



Elanus melanopterua {Daicd.}, Jerd. B. Ind. i, p. 112 ; Hume, Rough 

 Draft N. Sf E. no. 59. 



The Black-winged Kite varies much in its time of breeding. 

 Possibly these birds breed twice in the year, but this is not likely, 

 and the difference in season in the several localities is probably due 

 to the great differences in the climate and rainfall of the latter. 



Mr. Blewitt remarks: — "This Kite evidently breeds from, I 

 should say, the middle of November to January. I first secured 

 its eggs in the Sumbulpoor District on the 20th December, while 

 I obtained a pair of quite young half-fledged birds on the 21st 

 January. The nests^ including a newly-made one found empty, 

 were placed on the forks of the upper branches of low forest trees 

 about 18 to 20 feet from the ground. In form they were circular 

 and composed of small sticks and twigs somewhat compactly put 

 together, with the egg-cavity about an inch deep, neatly lined with 

 fine grass. There is no doubt that this Kite breeds in all those 

 tracts in the Sumbulpoor District that are sparsely wooded and 

 extensively cultivated with rice ; and probably, as it is somewhat 

 common there, this may also be the case in the llaepoor District. 

 I take three to be the normal number of the eggs." 



Mr. Adam says : — " At the village of Kuchrodda, about 6 miles 

 south of the town of Sambhur, there is a large jheel with a tope 

 of khajur palms {Phoenix sylvestris) on one side, and straggling 

 trees of this species all round. 



" On the 19th July, 1872, near one of the solitary khajur-trees, 

 I observed a Black-winged Kite, and as this bird is rather rare about 

 the Sambhur Lake, I went in its direction, intending to kill it ; 

 but just as it rose from the ground, I ,saw it was carrying a twig 

 in its bill, and this it carried to the top of the khajur, where I found 

 it had a nest nearly finished. Both birds were employed taking 

 twigs to the nest. 



TOL. III. 12 



