224 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



narrow, obliquely vertical, with the upper end the posterior one. (Sub- 

 family Falconince.') 

 c\ Nostril circular; cutting-edge of upper mandible with a strong tooth- 

 like projection, separated from the strongly hooked tip by a distinct 



notch f .... Falco. (Page 244.) 



c 2 . Nostril linear, obliquely vertical, the upper end posterior to the lower; 

 cutting-edge of upper mandible without distinct tooth or notch. 



jPolyborus. (Page 253.) 



a 1 . Outer toe reversible ; claws all of the same lengthjnarrower and rounded on 



under side ; Pandion. (Page 254.) 



Genus ELANOIDES Gray. (Page 222, pi. LXV., fig. 1.) 



Species. , 



Head, neck, entire lower parts (including under wing-coverts and basal half of 

 secondaries, underneath), and band across rump, pure white j; back, wings, and tail 

 plain polished blackish ; tertials white, with blackish tips. Adult: White of head 

 and neck immaculate ; back, scapulars, and lesser wing-coverts with a soft velvety 

 gloss of dark bronzy purplish, 1jhe other black portions with a glaucous or-chalky 

 cast. Young : Head and neck narrowly streaked with dusky ; the black of back, 

 etc., less glossy, more brownish, and with greenish instead of bronzy p;|rple reflec- 

 tions ; quills, tail-feathers, and primary coverts narrowly bordered at .tips with 

 white. Length 19.50-25.50, wing 15.40-17.70, outer tail-feathers 12.50-l4',50, cul- 

 men 0.70-0.80, tarsus 1.00-1.30, middle toe 1.00-1.20. Nest in tops of tall\trees, 

 usually near water-courses. Eggs 2-3, 1.87 X 1-49, white or buffy white holdly 

 spotted or blotched, chiefly round larger end, with hazel-brown, chestnut, or r^ch 

 madder-brown. Hab. Tropical and warm-temperate portions of continental 

 America, north in the interior regularly to Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, etc., alongV 

 Atlantic coast casually to Pennsylvania and southern New England ; accidental in 

 England 327. E. forficatus (Linn.). Swallow- tailed Kite. 



Genus ELANUS Savignt. (Page 222, pi. LXV., fig. 2.) 



Species. 



Adult : Above plain pale bluish-gray, becoming gradually white on head and 

 tail, with a large patch of uniform deep black covering lesser wing-covert regional 

 lower parts entirely pure white ; a black spot in front of and partly surrounding 

 eye. Young : Somewhat like adult, but tinged with rusty, and with, indistinct 

 dusky streaks, on upper parts, the wing-feathers narrowly tipped with iVhite ; tail 

 with an indistinct subterminal band of dusky; breast stained, or indistinctly 

 blotched or streaked, with yellowish rusty. Length 15.15-16.75, wing 11.50-13.30, 

 tail 5.90-7.40, culmen .65-.80, tarsus 1.20-1.50. Nest on trees, near vater. Eggs 

 2-3, 1.71 X 1-31, handsomely marbled or clouded with various shades of rich mad- 

 der-brown on a paler (sometimes whitish) ground. Hab. Tropical and subtropical 



