THE BIEDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Milvus korschun Tm'pieri Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 249, 1912 : Napier Broome 
Bay, North-west Australia. 
Distribution. Australia : not Tasmania. Extra-limital. 
Adult female. General colour above brown with white bases to the feathers, upper wing- 
coverts earth-brown, the feathers tinged with rufous and having dark shaft-streaks ; 
the scapulars brown with pale edges ; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and quiUs 
blackish, or dark brown, becoming paler on the innermost secondaries, with an 
indication of dark bars both on the inner primaries and secondaries, the second, 
third, fourth and fifth primaries incised on the outer webs and the first to the 
fifth on the inner webs ; tail greyish-brown with numerous dark bands and somewhat 
paler at the tips ; crown of head and hind-neck rufous-brown with dark shaft-streaks ; 
sides of face and throat similar but paler ; under-surface rufous-brown with broad 
shaft-lines ; outer edge of wing below somewhat paler than the inner portion ; lower 
aspect of tail-feathers grey with dark bars on the inner webs. Bill black, cere and 
base yellow, eyes brown ; feet yellow. Total length 555 mm. ; culmen 24, wing 403, 
tail 260, tarsus 50. Figured. Collected at Derby, North-west Australia, on the 
9th of May, 1911, by Mr. J. P. Rogers, 
Adult male. Similar to the adult female. Wing 400 mm. ; tarsus 57. Collected on the 
King River, North-west Australia, on the 5th July, 1911. 
ImTrmture are lighter : head with huffish feathers and darker bases ; the mantle has 
lighter tips to the feathers ; lower throat with a light stripe down both sides of the 
dark shaft. Abdomen with whitish centres to the feathers : the feathers of the thighs 
have a light arrow-shaped spot. Eyes golden-yellow. 
Nestling. “ The young, when hatched, are covered with fawn-coloured down, with a 
lighter space round the eyes ; irides brown ; legs and bill greenish in colour.” 
(MacgUlivray.) 
Nest. The usual structure made of sticks and lined. Sometimes a deserted nest of another 
species. 
Eggs. Clutch, two or three. Whitish (inside lining green), marked, more at the larger 
end, with reddish-brown blotches and smaller markings. Axis 51 mm. ; diameter 49. 
These historical eggs are the ones described by Mr. A. J. North in the Austr. Mus. 
Cat., no. 12, p. 381, and have a note to that effect written by “ A. J. N.” 
Breeding-season. September to January (South). May to July (North). 
There seems to have been no recognition of either of the Australian Kites 
until 1837, when Gould named both species. 
Previously “ Kites ” had been mentioned by the early travellers, but 
apparently excited little interest, and no particular notes are given. No 
figures appear among the Watling Drawings, nor were any included in the 
Linnean Society’s Collection studied by Vigors and Horsfield. The reason 
seems to be that they do not regularly dwell on the sea-coast but only 
spasmodically occur there. 
Dr. A. M. Morgan has written me : “ I have only met with this bird in 
two localities in South Australia : at Elizabeth Creek, about 120 miles N.W. 
of Port Augusta, and at Kallioota. At Elizabeth Creek they were hanging 
about a slaughter-yard and feeding upon the offal. At Kallioota a pair were 
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