196 FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC.

327. Elanoides forflcatus (Lia/1.). SWAI.i,o\\‘-1'MLE1) KITL‘. .‘ill’. —Ilead, neck, linings of the wings, rump. part of tertials, and under parts white; rest of the. plumage glossy lvluish blaek; tail deeply forked, the outer feathers about 5-00 longer than the middle ones. L, 21-00; W., 16-50; 'l‘., 13'5”); B. from N., '50.

Halifax—S:iuthcrn United States north to Pennsylvania and casuall)~ to Massaehuse s; south to South Anu-riea; breeding locally throughout its range, and wintering.r in Central and South America.

Ain‘t. in the upper liranehcs of tall trees. [fir/(M: two to four, white or bully white. holdly spotted or Notched, chiefly round the larger end, with hazel» brown, chestnut, or rich madder-brown, l'ST x 1'43 \Ridgw.)

The Swallow—tailed Kite winters in Central and South America. and app >ars in the United States in March. Its home is the air, and it is far more frequently seen on the wing than at rest. It captures its prey, devours it, and drinks while under way. Its flight possesses all the marvelous ease and grace of a Swallows. made more evident,

‘ and consequently more impressive, by the bird‘s much greater size.

328. Elanus 1eucurus(_ Vim'lIJ. \Vnn‘E-ranmn KITE. Ad.—Upper parts ashy gray. whiter on the head : wing—coverts black; tail and under parts white. L, 15'50; \V., 1""30; T.. 7‘00: B. from N.. ‘70.

Range—Breeds from South Carolina, southern Illinois, and Indian Terri— tory southward through Mexico to the Argentine Repuhlic; rare cast of the Mississippi.

Nat, in trees. Jill/(IR, three to four. “handsomely marhled or clouded with various shades of rich madder—brown on a paler (sometimes whitish) ground, 1'71 x 1‘31"lRidg\v.>.

This species is not often found east. of the Mississippi. It frequents open, marshy situations. A pair which I observed in Texas hunted by hoveringr over the reeds. sustaining a position facing the wind, and about forty feet. from the ground, by a gentle movement of the wings.

329. Ictinia, mississippiensis (WI/m. Misslssipri Kiri-2. Ad.— llead. neck. exposed margins of the secondaries, and under parts gray; hack bluish slate-eolor; primaries streaked or spotted with rut'ous~chestuut; tail black. without lull‘S. lm.~—llead streaked with black and white; hack black» ish. tipped with rufous or white. the eoneealul parts of the t'--ithers white and with generally one hlaekish liar: primaries wit/"mt rut'ou ; tail with three or four liroken white liars; helow hull'y, streaked with rut'ous and grayish brown. ]..,1-4‘U0; W., ll'L’F): T., 6'50: B. from N.. ‘IiU.

[mug/«avi’needs from South ('arolina, southern Illinois, and Kansas south— ward to ('entral Ana-rim: winters in the tropics.

.wal, in tall trees. /'.'{/_/7R.1\\‘o, dull white, soon-times with a ltllllljll tinge, 1'63 X 1'32.

This bird, like the. preceding, is only a summer resident in the United States, arriving from the south in April. It is not eonnaon