132 BRITISH BIRDS, WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 
Family—FALCONID/E. 
AMERICAN SWALLOW-TAILED KITE. 
Elanoides furcatus, LUNN. 
WANDERER from America. Although Harting enumerates five occurrences 
of this very beautiful bird, whose plumage is deep glossy black on mantle, 
wings, and tail, with white head and under parts, and has an extremely long and 
forked tail; yet Saunders, who has doubtless sifted them, only admits one as 
sufficiently authenticated, the specimen obtained at Shaw Gill, near Hawes, 
Wensleydale, on 6th September, 1805. 
The eggs of this Kite obtain a very high price from collectors. When Mr. 
Leopold Field’s collection of eggs was sold at Stevens’ Auction Rooms, in June, 
1895, a clutch of three from Texas realized £9 10s., while a single egg, “a 
magnificent specimen,” went for £5 ros.! 
Family—FALCONIDE. 
BLACK- WINGED KITE. 
Elanus ceruleus, DESF. 
HIS pretty little African Kite, which in the adult plumage closely corresponds 
to the male Hen-Harrier, and is extremely unlikely ever to occur in the 
British Isles, is stated to have once been obtained in Ireland. Saunders writes: 
“I have examined an immature specimen of the little Black-winged Kite, said to’ 
have been shot about 1862, in Co. Meath; but it was unrecognized for ten years, 
and the evidence is not wholly satisfactory.” 
