KITE. 67 



to north, as far as Sweden and Norway, it is decidedly mi- 

 gratory, especially in the northern parts above latitude fifty- 

 two or fifty-three degrees ; retiring from thence to warmer 

 regions as winter approaches, being unable to sustain the in- 

 clemencies of a northern winter. 



According to M. Boie, the Kite is very common in Den- 

 mark, where numbers arrive in the spring ; but a very small 

 portion of these, however, remain during winter. Their migra- 

 tion is performed usually in flocks ; sometimes from fifty to 

 a hundred may be seen together. During these migratory 

 flights they proceed along the open country, flying low, and 

 from time to time settling on the ground to rest themselves, 

 and in this manner slowly pursue their route. Many are 

 supposed to winter on the southern side of the Mediterranean. 



By Bechstein and other German authors this species is 

 called Rother Milan, or the Red Kite, to distinguish it from 

 another species which somewhat resembles it, but is much 

 darker in the tints of its plumage. With us no such dis- 

 tinction is necessary ; the Common Kite being the only bird 

 of this species that is found here, with the exception of the 

 rare straggler "which forms the subject of the following plate. 



The living specimen from which our Kite was drawn, was 

 one of two very fine birds, male and female, kept in the me- 

 nagerie of Mr. Cross, of the Surrey Zoological Gardens ; in 

 which excellent collection we have had the opportunity of 

 sketching several birds not commonly to be met with. 



The entire length of the male Kite is about two feet two 

 inches, and the expanse from wing to wing five feet ; the 

 female is larger, measuring in length about two inches more 

 than the male, and in expanse exceeds him by about six 

 inches. The tail is broad, and much forked; the middle 

 feathers measure about twelve inches ; the outer, fourteen and 

 a half or fifteen inches ; the tips of the wings, when closed, 

 reach nearly to the end of the tail. The beak is long, with 



