THE H0NEV-KITE6. 
179 
Eaiigc outside the British Islands. — The Honey-K ite returns from 
its winter home in Africa in May, and passes over the Straits 
of Gibraltar in large numbers, more than a hundred being often 
seen together. In September it passes south again, but in less 
numbers and in smaller parties; a similar stream of migration 
passes over the Bosphorus. The breeding-range of the species 
seems to extend throughout the greater part of Europe to South- 
ern Norway, and it nests in Sweden, Finland, and Russia up 
to the Arctic Circle. It is probably this same species which 
extends eastward to Turkestan, and Mr. Seebohm states that 
he has received a specimen from Krasnoyarsk in Central 
Siberia. He also believes that it extends through Eastern 
Siberia to Japan and China, but it will probably be found to 
be the eastern race, P. ptilonorhynchus, which has a slight crest, 
which will prove to be the dominant species of Eastern Asia. 
The last-named form breeds in India and occurs throughout 
the Burmese and Malayan countries, while in Java, and pro- 
bably in Sumatra and Borneo, its place is taken by a resi- 
dent form which is very dark and has almost as long a crest as 
a Crested Eagle {Spiza'eius). 
HaWts — In the northern part of its range the Honey-Kite is 
a late arrival, not, as pointed out by Mr. Seebohm, so much on 
account of its fearing the cold, as because the insects which form 
its favourite food do not make their appearance until the middle 
of the summer. The Honey-Kite feeds largely on wasps, bees, 
and their larvie, which it extracts from the comb, but it also 
devours other insects, as well as small birds and mice, slugs 
and worms, and is even said by Mr. Sachse to eat berries and 
small fruits in autumn, when animal food fails. The nature of 
its food renders the Honey-Kite somewhat of a ground-bird, 
and it is said to run with comparative agility. 
Nest. — As a rule the deserted nest of some other bird is 
utilised by the Honey-Kite, being repaired and added to with 
fresh twigs. Both sexes assist in the incubation of the eggs, 
the sitting-bird being fed meanwhile by its mate. 
Eggs. — These are laid in June, and are mostly two in num- 
ber, very rarely three, but even four have been known to occur. 
The eggs are among the handsomest of those of Accipitrine 
Birds, and are mostly richly clouded with two shades of rufous, 
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