this species differ in no way from those of the Common Kite of
India ; indeed, until we shot one, we did not discriminate that any
difference existed. Eggs procured by Mr. J . Kotze and ourselves at
the Berg River are dull white, sparsely spotted, blotched and
■streaked generally at the thick end with dry blood-coloured
markings. Axis, 2" 3/,/; Diam. 1 9 . . _ .
The whole of the upper parts tan-brown, each feather with a paler
edge; breast tan-brown; top of head, neck, cheeks, and throat
whitish or light brown; the centre of each feather being dark-brown
inclining to black, gives a striped appearance. Lower part of body,
thighs, and under part of tail cinnamon-colour. Wings very long
and pointed, tail deeply forked. Legs and bill straw yellow m e
adult bird, and dark yellowish-brown in immature specimens; ins
brown, cere yellow. Length, 2-1 ; wing, 17 , tail, 10
Fig. Levaill. Ois. d’Afr. 1, ph 22.
44. ■M ,i iiVtrs KORSCHUN. Black Kite.
Milvus ater, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 25 (1867). ^
Although not m igrating as far south as Cape Town itself, this
Kite is by no means uncommon in Southern Africa. We first received
it from Mr. Arnot, of Colesberg, who shot it in a street of that
town. We have since h ad specimens from th e Zambesi, bro u g h t down
by Mr. J. C. Chapman. Mr. Andersson w r i t e s “ It appears m
Damara and Great Namaqua Land with the first rams, or even
before.”
Erom Mr. Chapman’s descriptions, it appears to resemble inhabits
M. govinda of India and Ceylon, frequenting by preference the
neighbourhood of native towns, near water, and feeding upon offal,
particularly that of fish. I t wheels round in large and easy circles,
rising and falling, without flapping its wings, for an immense length
of time. It catches up its food with its foot, and eats it m the air,
bending the head down, and bringing up one or both feet to meet
it. Eggs in our possession are of a dull white, with here and there
coarse dry blood-coloured dots. Axis, 2" 2 '; diam. 1 9 .
Mr. Ortlepp says this species has long been known in Colesberg,
where it is called Kuikenduif ” (chicken thief); Mr. H. Bowker
says “ it is probably so called from the fact that it has never been
seen to touch one unless thrown away dead ! While hunting near
Bloemfontein in the Free State, I have suffered from their stealing
the Biltong (dried flesh) and whatever they could get hold of from
the waggon—in fact they will sweep down at the fireplace, and
before you know where you are, carry off a piece of meat. One day
we came home from hunting, and were getting our dinner at the
fireplace—a fine wildebeest’s tongue wa's taken out of the pot and
placed to cool on a flat stone about a yard from where we sat—down
came a fellow, and though there was a rush and a scramble from the
nearest man, it was too late, and the Kite carried off the prize to a
koppie about 300 yards off and ate it at his leisure. On another
occasion I saw one swoop down and take a piece of raw meat from a
Kaffir girl’s head which she was carrying to her hut.”
“ The nest from which I took the eggs sent was in a large pollard
willow on the banks of the Caledon river, made of dry willow-sticks,
and lined on the inside with hair chiefly from the hairy exuviae of
dogs and other animals. The old birds were very bold almost
striking my hat off while at the nest. In blowing the eggs I found
a considerable difference in the size of the young birds, that in the
white egg being almost ready to hatch, the other in the egg slightly
coloured next in size, while that in the deeply marked one was but
just formed.”
Dr. Exton writes :—“ Milvus horschun is said by the Matabili to be
the “ King’s bird,” and is respected by them. One of the King’s sons
examining my specimen said that they never killed that bird. It does
not seem very choice in its food, as the gizzards of those I examined
contained both locusts and lizards, and I have seen family parties
dining after the manner of Vultures off the putrid carcase of an ox.
They breed about the time the locust larvae become developed, the
young birds just taking wing when the “ hoppers” are becoming
strong on the ground. They then congregate in flocks and I have
counted between eighty and ninety hovering over an army of infant
locusts and have seen them in still greater numbers, some on the
ground busily devouring the hoppers, and others perched on the
neighbouring trees gorged with a full repast. The Matabili name is
“ Mezwazwa.”
Mr. Henry Buckley sends us the following measurements of
Spanish eggs of the present species;—“ They vary from 2*15 x 1*57
inches to 2*28 x 1*69, and in ‘colour they are white, spotted or
blotched with brown.”
General colour deep hair-brown, tinged with rufous on the under
£ 2