42 The Official Guide to the 
Case XXII. 
contains the Osprey, a fish-eating bird, almost cosmo- — 
politan in its distribution ; indeed, Professor Newton, 
in his Dictzonary of Birds, says, “'The countries which 
it does not frequent would be more easily named than 
those in which it is found—and amongst the former 
are Ireland, Iceland, and New Zealand.” It is now a 
rare bird in Britain, but still nests in one or two local- 
ities where every endeavour is made to protect it. — 
There are some slight differences in the Ospreys 
inhabiting various parts of the Globe, considered by 
some sufficient to render them specifically distinct. 
The interesting Indian and Australian genus Halastur 
follows, three species of which are very similar. | 
The next genus is that of AZz/vus, containing the 
Kites, graceful birds on the wing, with long forked 
tails ; one species, the Common Kite, of which there 
are lovely specimens in 
Case XXIll., 
with nestlings, from Germany, was indeed once com- 
mon in this country, but is now exceedingly rare, — 
though still nesting in Wales. Two other species 
have occurred in Britain, the Black Kite once, and | 
the still more beautiful Swallow-tailed Kite on two 
occasions. ‘The various Kites are spread over Africa 
and Southern and Eastern Asia. Of one species, the 
Australian Black-breasted Kite (Gypoutinia melano- 
sternon), the Museum long contained only one wing, 
which was sent over from the Swan River with other 
birds’ wings, intended for plumes for hats; we now, 
however, possess four specimens of this rare bird as 
well as its eggs. [Small Case 1.] , 
Nearly allied to the Kites are the Perns, which 
commence in 
