BLACK-WINGED KITE. 109 



thirds of tarsi clothed with feathers; external toe much shorter 

 than the internal, the latter reaching to the anterior third part 

 of the median. 



Measurement. — Length twelve to fourteen inches. — Degland. 



This beautiful little Falcon, so well known to orni- 

 thologists from Gould's exquisite plate in the "Birds 

 of Europe," is the last of its family which I shall have 

 to introduce into this work. It is an African species, 

 forming with its congener, the North American "Swal- 

 low-tailed Kite," which is in the British lists, the only- 

 representatives of the genus Elanus of Savigny. 



The little Black-winged Kite is found generally dis- 

 tributed over the Indian continent, and in Africa from 

 south to north. It is common in Egypt, and it occurs 

 in Java, New Holland, and also in the southern part 

 of North America. 



In Europe it is an accidental visitor. It has been 

 found in France, Germany, and Spain, and is a peri- 

 odical visitor according to Count Miihle, in Greece. 



Specimens are recorded by Degland as having been 

 killed at Cassel, in May, 1830. In the Cote d' Or it 

 has been seen in October; and M. Crespon killed an 

 adult male in the same month in the neighbourhood of 

 Nimes. 



It has not that I am aware of, ever been known to 

 breed in Europe; and as its habits have been observed 

 only in Africa and Asia, I shall again make extracts 

 from the Madras Literary and Scientific Journal, vol. 

 vi, page 77, in which a notice of its manners is given 

 by Mr. Hodgson, and vol. x, page 71, where I find 

 the following observations by Mr. Jerdon: — 



"Though generally spread over India, the Kupasee 

 is by no means common. It is most frequent in woody 



