Birds of Celebes: Falconidae. 
59 
other time. Also, the habits of M. govinda as described by Sykes appear to be 
those of the smaller Kite (cf. Legge). Thus, as regards nomenclature, the 
smaller Kite has the stronger claim to the name govinda, under which it is most 
commonly knowm. 
Next, touching the question of the occurrence of two forms of small Kite 
in India, or of only one, it would be impossible ■ — • without a great quantity of 
material and Muthout a miich more accurate knowledge of the habits of these 
birds in India and elsewhere than can be obtained from the imperfect and, some- 
times, confiictoiT statements of field naturalists — to offer any solution of the 
matter in dispute; nevertheless we Avould throw into the discussion a fresh ele- 
ment, which may not be without effect upon the knotty points concerned. 
It should be borne in mind that M. govinda and the large melanotis are only 
worthy of subspecific separation from M. migrans of the western Palaearctic 
Kegion. In India the two forms possibly do not intergrade; after most accounts 
they differ in habits; the large Kite is a hill-race breeding in the Himalayas, 
and, though M. govinda breeds there as well, it would seem possible that this 
form generally lays somewhat later than the other, judging from the statement 
in “Hume’s Nests and Eggs” 1890, III, 173, 176, that M. govinda usually lays 
in the Himalayas in April and May, and M. melanotis from January to the be- 
ginning of May. The differences between M. govinda and a supposed smaller 
race, occurring in India and generally spoken of as M. affinis, are by no means 
so well made out by the supporters of this view. It is inconceivable that a 
race, hardly separable from M. govinda at the best, should occur as an indepen- 
dant breeding bird intermingled with the latter, and it still remains to be shown 
whether a smaller race migrates from Burmah or elsewhere at certain seasons'), 
or whether the slight differences of coloration commonly found in larger and 
smaller Indian specimens are not the natural accompaniment of a slight indi- 
vidual increase or diminution of size. In the cases of govinda and affinis any 
movements taking place will be likely to be of a very local character, depending 
upon the abundance of food; true migrations are hardly to be expected, as the 
bill of fare of Kites is a somewhat broad one, and in warm countries, like 
those under consideration, some kind or other of food palatable to it must al- 
Avays be present. There is evidently a difference at least of size between the 
race of Australia and that of Burmah, which is spoken of by Mr. Oates and 
others as affinis. As is jiointed out beloAV, facts tend to show that the Burmese 
specimens lay a someAvhat larger egg. The Australian sjAecimens in the British 
Museum are also on the whole somewhat more infous than Indian or Tenasseiim 
ones. Also Legge points out that his Cingalese specimens of M. govinda differed 
as adults from a Macassar examirle of affinis in the less rufous coloration of 
the head, hind-neck, and lesser wing-coverts, and, in youth, in the less rufescent 
character of the upper-surface tippings; also there are differences between the 
•) See Anderson, P. Z. S. 1872, 79. 
8 * 
