THE TRUE KITES. 
167 
Adult I'cmale. — Similar to the male. Total length, 24 inches , 
wing, 1 6 " 8 . . ■ r ^ 
Eaugeiu Great Britaiu.-The Swallow-tailed Kite is so firmly 
established in the British list of birds, that to omit it would 
seem to be a mistake, and yet the claims of the species to be 
coLidered British are of the very slenderest. 1 wo specimens 
have been recorded ; one in Argyllshire in 1772, and anothe 
in iS’’” The latter bird was captured alive, but made its 
escane'^so that I believe I am correct in saying that no 
authentic British example of the Swallow-taikd Kite exists in 
any private collection or public museum m this country. 
Range outside the British Islands.— The range of this species 
in North America is given by Mr. Ridgway as extendin 
over the tropical and warm-temperale portions of continental 
America, north in the interior regularly to Iowa, Minnesota, 
Illinois, &c., along the Atlantic coast ca.sually to Pennsylvania 
and Southern New England. In winter the species migrates 
to Brazil. 
_A very graceful bird on the wing, soaring to a 
great hei-rlit. It appears from Audubon’s notes, to be gre- 
garious to a great extent, feeding on the wing, and catching 
insects or small lizards from the trunks of the trees, devouiing 
also large grasshoppers, c.aterpillars, snakes, and frogs. Mr. 
Dresser also says that they feed on wasp-grubs, and will carry 
off a nest to a perch and there pick out the grubs. 
Nest -Placed on a high tree, made of sticks, and lined with 
coarse grass. Mr. Dresser suggests that they probably breed in 
society, and Mr. Ridgway says that the nest is usually found 
near watercourses. 
Effgs.-Two or three in number; white or buffy-white boldly 
spotted or blotched, chiefly round the larger end, with hazel- 
brown, chestnut, or rich madder-brown {Ji/d^way). 
THE TRUE KITES. GENUS MILVUS. 
MtlmiS, Cuvier, Leg. Anat. Comp. i. tabl. Ois. (1800). 
Type, Alilvus milvus (L.). 
The Kites have the same oblique nostril as was described 
in the genus Elanoides, with the membrane on the upper 
