176 LIFE HISTORIES OP NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



are tall poplar trees these birds amuse themselves by perching on the topmost 

 slender twigs, balancing themselves with outspread wings, each bird on a sepa- 

 rate tree, until the tree tops are swept by the wind from under them, when 

 they often remain poised almost motionless in the air until the twigs return to 

 their feet. 



"When looking out for prey, this Kite usually maintains a height of 60 

 or 70 feet above the ground, and in its actions strikingly resembles a fishing 

 Gull, frequently remaining poised in the air with body motionless and wings 

 rapidly vibrating for fully half a minute at a stretch, after which it flies on 

 or dashes down upon its prey. 



"The nest is placed on the topmost twigs of a tall tree, and is round and 

 neatly built of sticks, rather deep and lined with dry grass. The eggs are eight 

 in number. An approach to the nest is always greeted by the birds with long 

 distressed cries, and this cry is also uttered in the love season, when the males 

 often fight and pursue each other in the air. The old and young birds some- 

 times live together until the following spring." 



The food of the White-tailed Kite is said to consist of small rodents, snakes, 

 and small birds. It is evidently a harmless bird in this respect, and rather bene- 

 ficial than otherwise. Both parents assist in the care of the voung. 



But one brood is raised in a season; if fhe first set of eggs should be taken 

 a second one is occasionally laid in the same nest about a month later. 



In the United States the number of eggs laid to a set varies from three to 

 five, generally four. Their ground color is creamy white, and they are heavily 

 marked over their entire surface with irregular confluent blotches and smears of 

 dark blood red and claret brown, of different degrees of intensity, the smaller 

 end being often the more heavily colored. But little of the ground color is 

 visible in the majority of the specimens. Some sets are much lighter than 

 others, possibly a second laying; the eggs are usually oval in shape. 



The average measurement of eight specimens is 42 by 33.5 millimetres. 

 The largest egg measures 44 by 34, the smallest 41 by 32 millimetres. 



The type specimen (No. 2927, U. S. National Museum collection, PI. 5, 

 Fig. 3), selected from a set of four, was collected by Mr. J. H. Clark, May 9, 

 1861, near Fort Arbuckle, Indian Territory. The second (PI. 5, Fig. 4), 

 selected from a set of five eggs, now in the collection of Mr. Josiah Hoopes, 

 West Chester, Pennsylvania, was taken near Santa Barbara, California, on 

 April 14, 1886, and kindly loaned for illustration. 



