Falconid-e.- 
-BIRDS.- 
-FALCONIDai. 
clxxi 
of its getius witliiii the United States. On a small 
island of the Atlantic Coast three iiiindred nests of 
these birds were found. A singular trait in the cha- 
racter of this bird is that of allowing tlie Purple 
Crakle to build its nest on the margin of its own. 
'J'he interstices of tlie immense concourse of sticks 
that form the Fish Hawk’s domicile are occupied by 
the Grakles, four or five often being- seen on one 
nest, like humble vassals around the castle of 
their chief, laying-, hatching- their young, and living 
togiither in mutual harmony.” 'I’he Fish Hawk is a 
constant summer resident near the mouth of our 
large rivers. In Maine, at the mouth of the Kenne- 
bec and the Penobscott, and among the islands of 
Casco Bay, he may be seen, attended pretty closely 
by the Bald Eagle, who ignobly lives by pilfering 
his rightful game. 
FORK-TAILED KITE [Nauclerus forficatus). — ’I'liis 
is a peculiarly Atnerican genus, having- only one 
species, belonging- to the tropical and subtropical 
regions on both sides of the equator. 'I’he Swallow- 
tailed Hawk, as this species is called in the Southern 
States, is sometimes seen as far north as Pennsylva- 
nia, on the Atlantic Coast, but is common in the 
Mississippi Valley to Wisconsin. It breeds in Illi- 
nois and Iowa. It is said to be exceedingly abun- 
dant in the former State. It is found in Cuba, and 
is accidental in England. The specific characters, as 
given by Prof. Baird, are as follows; “Whole head 
and neck, lining of wings, broad band aci-oss the 
rump, and entire lower parts, pure white; inter- 
scapulars and lesser wing coverts, rich, dark, soft, 
bronzed-purplish-black; rest of upper parts, includ- 
ing lower part of rump, upper tail coverts, and tail, 
more metallic-slaty-black ; feathers somewhat green- 
ish basally, more bluish terminally, with a peculiar 
soft, milky appearance, and with very smooth com- 
pact surface; tertials almost entirely white, black 
only at tips ; white on under side of wing occu})ying' 
all the coverts, and the basal half of the secondaries. 
Wing, 15.40-17.70 ; tail, 12.50-14.50.” From the 
peculiar form of this bird, its slender body and elon- 
gated tail and wings, it naturally is exceedingly grace- 
ful in its flight. Its food consists mostly of the 
larger winged insects, as grasshoppers ; and it is 
described as being fond of the grubs of wasps, which 
it skilfully extracts from the nest. Its habit seems 
to lead it mostly over streams, or their neighborhood. 
Mr. Ridgway finds it living- in Illinois during the 
summer on small snakes, building its nest in the 
oak or hickories which border the streams intersect- 
ing the prairies. Here, in August, it becomes very 
abundant, feeding also on the insects of the region. 
Audubon speaks of these birds as being astonishingly 
rapid in flight, the deep curves they describe, their 
sudden doubling and crossings, and the extreme ease 
with which they seem to cleave the air, never failing 
to excite admiration. On the ground, their move- 
ments are said to be awkward in the extreme. When 
wounded, they seldom strike with their talons, or 
offer serious resistance. 'I’hey never attack other 
birds or quadrupeds to prey upon them. They have 
a decidedly peculiar method of feeding- on the wing. 
in this respect appearing more like a large Swallow 
than a Hawk. They have been observed in large 
flocks, flying through a swarm of bees, clutching the 
insects with their smalt feet, and eating- them while 
on wing. 
BLACK-SHOULDERED KITE [Elanus lencurun), 
called also the White-taii.ed Kite. — 'I'his species 
inhabits the tropical and warmer temperate regions 
of America, excepting the West Indies. It reaches 
as far north as Southern Illinois, and in California it 
is a winter resident. This species was first intro- 
duced into our Fauna by Prit)ce Chas. Lucien Bona- 
parte, whose specimen was secured from East Florida. 
Audubon obtained one from near Charleston, S. C., 
and describes it as poising itself in the manner of 
the Common Sparrow Hawk. It would suddenly 
close its wings, plunge toward its prey with great 
velocity, making- a peculiar noise with its wings as it 
passed through the air. Its cries, on being- wounded, 
resemble those of the Mississippi Kite. Like the 
preceding, this bird feeds on insects as well as small 
reptiles and mice, coursing in search of its prey in 
the manner of the Marsh Harrier. “ 'I'he common 
name of this Hawk in Chili is Bailarin (from the 
verb hailar, to dance or balance), from the graceful 
and easy manner in which it seems almost to float 
upwards or to sink in the air.” — N. A. Birds. 
MISSISSIPPI KITE {Ictinia mississqipiensis ) — 
Plate Y, fig. V. — This is also called the Blue Kite. 
Its habitat is Central Mexico and Southern United 
States, reaching as far north as Wisconsin and 
Illinois, in the Mississippi Valley. On the prairies 
of Southern Illinois it is said to be exceedingly 
abundant. On the Atlantic border it is not seen 
above South Carolina. This species also has the 
habit of capturing and eating insects while on the 
wing. Mr. Ridgway describes the bird as exceeding- 
ly graceful in its evolutions. Wilson says of it : 
-‘ In my perambulations I frequently remarked this 
Hawk sailing about in easy circles, and at considera- 
ble height in the air, generally in company with the 
'rurkey Buzzards, whose manner of flight it so exact- 
ly imitates as to seem the same species, only in 
miniature, or seen at a more immense height.” Wilson 
was at loss to comprehend how these two birds, whose 
food and manners in other respects are so differ- 
ent, should so frequently associate together in air. 
This Kite measures fourteen inches in length, and 
three feet in extent of wings — an enormous spread of 
wing as compared with the size of the body. 
HOOK-BILLED KITE [Bostrhimus sociabilis). — 'I'his 
bird, called also Everglade Kite and variety plum- 
beus, by Ridgway, has its habitat in the West Indies 
and in Southern Florida. Mr. Maynard, author of 
the Birds of Florida, discovered this species breed- 
ing in the everglades of Florida. By the Seminole 
Indians the bird is called So-for-funi-Tcar. It is 
described as very sociable in its habits. In this re- 
spect it differs essentially from other birds of prey ; 
though I have seen the Rough-legged Buzzard as- 
sociated in a flock of a dozen or more, hovering over 
the marshes at Nahant, where they were hunting- for 
snakes and mice. In their flight the Hook-bills re- 
