KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 52. N:o |7. 
[>] 
An 
Milvus affinis GouLp. 
Math. handl. n:r 268. 4 JSF ad. Nooncanbah, Fitzroy r. !!/;» 1910, moult. wing and tail; ?/1i moult. 
wing; 15/, moult. wing; ”5/1 transition plumage 1911; 2 99 ibid. !5/+ moult. wing; "ji new plumage 1911; 
ANG juv: Meda, Kimpare5,ats 1911;,,2 Js juv. ibid. !'/5 1911, worn plumage; nestling ibid. 9/5 1911. 
Nestling. — Shows in the feathers that are growing out the rust-coloured tops 
that in the juvenals have developed into light spots in the centres of the feathers. 
Juvenals. — The feathers of the back have light-brown edges. Head, neck 
and breast with broad light brown centres and very narrow black shaft-streaks. 
Variants. — The spec. ””4:, a younger bird, has a plumage that is interesting 
as being a transition to that of the adult bird. It is moulting. Instead of light 
brown centres the new feathers have rufous ones, especially on the breast, head and 
back of neck. The feathers of the throat are also rufous. The black streaks on the 
shafts are narrower than in the adults. 
Moulting. — In the specimen '!/12 the two outermost wing-feathers of each 
wing and the middle-most tail-feathers are dropped and new ones are growing out. 
Otherwise the plumage is new. The same thing is also true of the one spec. Ii. 
In the specimens ”/h and "”/i the outermost wing-plume is not ready yet, otherwise 
the plumage is new. 
Moulting-season. — Begins in or before Dec. (Nov.). 
Ecological. — This kite was the most common raptorial at the places where 
it lived. It appeared in flocks of 50—100 or even more. I found it most numerous 
at Derby and at Meda. But in Beagle bay, where Hieracidea orientalis was very 
commonly seen (though not in flocks like this raptorial), it was quite absent. But 
here it was replaced by Lophoictinia isura, which bird, however, was not common. 
(It was the latter kind that I also observed in the neighbourhood of Meda, where 
Milvus affinis was also found.) 
Milvus affinis appears in these regions in the same way as the vultures in 
other parts of the earth. It is a scavenger, which is at the fore where a dead animal 
lies putrefying in the sun, and it comes to the neighbourhoods of the towns-and the 
villages to feast on every kind of garbage. It is after the breeding-season that it 
comes together in those flocks, which visit human settlements. It showed very little 
shyness. 
On ?/5 I found the nest of this kite in the neighbourhood of Meda. It was 
situated at the top of a tall Eucalyptus tree and was built with branches and twigs, 
covered inside with a thick bed of dung. In the nest there was only one nestling. 
(Cf. above.) 
Lophoictinia isura GouLpD. 
Math. handl. n:r 269. JF ad., 2 ad. Beagle bay, Dampier land "/;, !/7 1911, the last one very weared 
plumage; 2 ad. Meda, Kimb. ?3/5 1911; SJ juv. Nooncanbah, Fitzroy r. 15/12 1911, just ready-moulted. 
Juvenal. — Darker than in the adults. Narrower spots of the centres of the 
feathers of the breast. The feathers of the upper side have lightbrown tips, thus 
