ELAN US LE VC UR US. 
293 
HABITS. 
The Mississippi Kites are, Avith the exception of one other species, the only members 
of the present order, which I have not seen living. This is, perhaps, partly due to acci¬ 
dent but is probably attributable to the fact that the birds are quite rare and only inhabit 
a limited area of the section over which I have collected. Which ever way it is, however, 
I have never seen, as before stated, a living specimen and therefore, the remarks which I 
now make upon their habits, must be brief. 
Mr. Ridgway informs me that he found these Kites not uncommon on the prairies of 
Southern Illinois; indeed, this bird appears to be restricted to the more open sections of 
the country, avoiding the heavily wooded districts. As intimated, the Mississippi Kites 
are rare east of the valley from which they take their name but Mr. Charles Nauman writes 
me that he has seen the species once in Florida, while Audubon and more recent authors 
state that they occur in the Carolinas. According to Audubon, these birds make their ap¬ 
pearance in Louisiana about the middle of April, breed early in May, the young leave the 
nest in July, and, accompanied by their parents, depart for the Tropics by the fifteenth of 
August. 
GENUS Y. ELANUS. THE WHITE-TAILED KITES. 
Gen. Ch. Bill, short , well curved, with the cutting edge of the upper mandible slightlg lobed. Tail, rounded and slight¬ 
ly emarginate, not exceeding in length one half the length of the wings which are quite long. There is no ruff whatever on 
the face. 
Members of this genus usually have the colors very light with the tail white. The tarsus is short and naked to the 
heel behind, hut is feathered in front for half its length. The toes are short and thick but the claws are well curved and 
pointed. Only two outer quills are incised on the inner webs. Sexes similar in color. ’ There is hut one species within 
our limits. 
ELANUS LEUCURUS. 
Black-shouldered Kite. 
Elanus leucurus Vieill., Nouv. Diet., XX; 1818, 563. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, rather robust. Size, medium. Bill, short. Feet, comparatively stout, with short claws. Tail, not 
very long. 
Color. Adult. Head and neck all around, under portions, including under wing coverts, under tail covert^, and tib¬ 
ia, white. Smaller upper wing coverts, glossy black. Tail, white, with the two central feathers ashy-gray. Remainder of 
upper portions, including wings and upper tail coverts, ashy-gray. 
Young. Similar to the adult but overwashed with brownish above. The wing coverts are tipped with white and the 
black on the shoulder’s is considerably duller. 
Nestlings. Are at first covered with a yellowish down, then gradually assume the plumage last described. Bill, black, 
cere and feet, yellow, iris bright ruby, in all stages. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
There appears to be but little variation in specimens of the same age. Known from all other species which occur with¬ 
in our limits by the white tail, black shoulders, and general light tints. Distributed, as a summer resident, up the Miss¬ 
issippi Valley as far as Southern Illinois. A rare resident in Florida and other Eastern Southern States, north as far as 
South Carolina. 
