Part 6

This bird is found throughout the entire continent of Europe, the greater part of Asia, and upon the rivers of Northern and Western Africa. Many naturalists are of opinion that the American Ospreys should be regarded as the same species, so very slightly do they differ from their European representatives, either in their appearance or manner of life. The River Eagle lives almost exclusively upon fish, and passes its life in such places as afford a plentiful supply; it only visits northern regions during the summer months, remaining throughout the rest of the year in warmer latitudes. During the course of its migrations, every piece of water over which it passes is subjected to close inspection, and even the finny inhabitants of the humblest pond are not safe from this most destructive and voracious marauder. Its eyrie is usually constructed upon a high tree, and formed of moss and twigs; the eggs, two or three in number, are greyish white, marked with pale yellowish red spots. Owing to the great strength of its wings, this bird is capable of flying to a very considerable distance from its roosting-place, to which, however, it always returns for rest or shelter. As soon as the mist has cleared away from the surface of the water, the business of the day commences, and about noon the Osprey may be seen careering through the air, preparatory to descending by a series of graceful evolutions upon the river or lake, over which it has hitherto sailed at a considerable altitude. At the first indication of a fish being about to rise, the observant bird arrests its progress, hovers for a moment above the spot, and then swoops down with great velocity upon its prey. All attempts to elude the fierce destroyer are useless, for even should the Osprey be completely submerged during the struggle, it rises again with ease, bearing its prize safely grasped by the back, shakes the water from its wings, and flies away with its victim to a neighbouring tree, or, if too heavy, drags it to the bank there to be devoured. The only exception to this mode of fishing is when the Osprey perceives an eel in the vicinity of the water, this it pounces upon, and transfixes with its "iron talons," and then, after tearing it to pieces, devours some portions of the body, entirely rejecting the entrails. Next to the Otter, this Eagle may be considered as the most destructive of all the many enemies to whose attacks well-stocked ponds and rivers are incessantly exposed, and for this reason it is regarded with great hostility by all cultivators of fish. In North America alone it is treated with favour, being supposed, by a popular superstition, to bring luck to the district in which it builds its nest. With all varieties of swimming birds the Osprey lives upon the most amicable terms, but Crows, Swallows, and Wagtails pursue and harass it so perseveringly that it will often throw down its hardly-earned booty in order to escape from their unrelenting persecution. Traps baited with fish are employed in North America by those who wish to obtain these birds alive; so wary are they, however, that their capture is attended with great difficulty. When caged, even if supplied with plenty of fresh fish, they rarely survive imprisonment for more than a few months, and are, for this reason, numbered amongst the greatest rarities in our aviaries.

In England, as Yarrell informs us, specimens of this bird have been obtained in Surrey, Sussex, and almost every county on the north-east coast. Two or three have been killed in Durham, and they are said to be met with on the north-west coast of Scotland rather more frequently than elsewhere.

Sir W. Jardine says that in Scotland, "a pair or two may be found about most of the Highland lochs where they fish, and, during the breeding season, build on the ruined towers so common on the margins or on the insulated rocks of these wild waters. The nest is an immense fabric of rotten sticks--

'Itself a burden for the tallest tree--'

and is generally placed, if such exists, on the top of the chimney, or, if this be wanting, on the highest summit of the building. An aged tree may sometimes be chosen, but ruins are always preferred, if near water. They have the same propensity for returning to a station with those of America, and, if one is shot, a mate is soon found and brought to the ancient abode. Loch Lomond, Loch Awe, Killchurn Castle, and Loch Menteith, have long been breeding places."

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The KITES (_Milvi_) constitute a group of Falcons, many species of which are to be met with in all parts of the world. Of these birds it is almost impossible to speak in general terms, so very various is their appearance; and we must therefore confine ourselves to saying that they are for the most part slender in shape, with short necks, and small or moderate sized heads. Their wings are always long and pointed, and usually rather narrow; the tail varies considerably in length, but is generally very long and forked--really _short_ tails are only exceptionally met with in this group. The foot, which is either long and weak or small and heavy, is invariably furnished with short toes; the beak is moderate, usually curving directly from its base, and hooked at the extremity, near which it occasionally presents a tooth-like appendage; the claws are slightly rounded and very sharp. The plumage is extremely soft and tolerably dense about the region of the head, forming in some instances a kind of ruff of long feathers which surround the ears, and, when spread out, materially assist the sense of hearing. To these characteristics we can only add that their colours are sometimes pale, and sometimes exceedingly bright. All the various members of this group are remarkable for the excellence of their flight, which differs essentially from that of any other birds of prey. Unlike the True Falcons, their movements are extremely calm and regular--indeed, they may be said to travel through the realms of air without any direct stroke of the wing, a peculiarity which occasionally gives a rocking motion to the flight of some species, the points of the wings being at such times held above the plane of the body. When upon the ground, however, their movements are by no means effected with equal facility--some species walk with ease, while others appear to progress with great difficulty. In all these birds the sense of sight is very highly developed, and such as possess the long feathers around the neck hear with great acuteness; of the delicacy of their sense of taste we cannot speak with any certainty. As regards intelligence, the Kites are decidedly inferior to other Falcons; they are cautious and persevering, cunning and inquisitive, extremely rapacious, but so destitute of courage that we must stigmatise them as mere thieves, amongst whom the reckless deeds of daring often wrought by other members of the fraternity are entirely unknown; indeed, a Kite always prefers to follow in the wake of some other bird of prey, in order to obtain the refuse of its hardly-earned spoil, rather than engage in any struggle on its own account. Great diversity is observable in the mode of life adopted by the various species of Kites; the greater number live entirely apart, not merely from other birds, but from their own kind, while some fly about in pairs--only a few dwell together in small parties: these latter, however, are very sociable, and much attached to their companions. All are alike active and restless; from the first dawn of day till twilight has closed in they may be seen winging their way over the face of the country, occasionally pausing in their varied and beautiful gyrations, to descend slowly earthward and snatch the morsel they have espied from afar.

The food of the Kites consists principally of the smaller quadrupeds, defenceless birds, toads, fish, and various insects. Some species subsist entirely upon the latter diet, and hunt their prey in a manner more resembling that of the Swallow than the mode practised by other Falcons; but very few will devour carrion. On the whole, these birds must be regarded as useful to man, though some are very destructive to his property. The eyrie varies considerably in its construction; sometimes it is built upon rocks or in holes of walls, sometimes on church steeples, trees, bushes, or even the bare ground. The number of eggs varies from one to five; both parents assist in the work of incubation, and tend their young with great assiduity. When caged all the members of this group are easily tamed, and some attach themselves to their keepers, but they entirely lose their vivacity, and are quite unable to survive any lengthened confinement. Among the Bashkirs some species are trained to assist their masters in the chase.

THE SHORT-TAILED KITE.

The SHORT-TAILED KITE, sometimes called the MOUNTEBANK (_Helotarsus ecaudatus_), is a very remarkable bird, inhabiting the continent of Africa, from sixteen degrees north latitude as far as the Cape of Good Hope. In appearance it reminds us of an Eagle, and is recognisable by its short, powerful, compact body, short neck and large head. The wings (in which the second quill is longer than the rest) are of great length, the tail is unusually short, as are the tarsi; the latter are, however, very strong, and well protected by scaly plates. The toes are of medium size, and armed with slightly curved and blunt talons. The plumage is unusually rich in texture, and consists of large broad feathers, with which the head in particular is profusely covered. The coloration of the plumage in adult males is as striking as its general appearance; the head, neck, fore, under, and hinder parts of the body are of a beautiful pale black; the entire tail and upper portion of the back are red. The exterior wing-covers vary from pale brownish red to cream colour; the primary quills are black, the secondaries and shoulder feathers grey, tipped with black, so that these latter form a black border to the wing, the lower side of which is of silvery whiteness. The eye is a beautiful brown, and glitters with a golden light; the back is reddish yellow at the base, and greyish blue towards the tip. The cere, and a bare place round the eyes, are blood red, spotted with reddish yellow. In the young birds the plumage is dark brown, usually deeper in shade on the back than it is beneath, where the feathers have a light greyish brown edge; the feathers upon the throat are light brown, and the secondary quills greyish brown. The eye is reddish brown, the beak, cere, cheek-stripes, and feet blue, the latter shaded with red. The length of the adult female is one foot ten inches, its breadth five feet ten inches; the wing measures one foot nine inches, and the tail not more than five inches. The male is not quite so large.

This remarkable bird, whose extraordinary appearance has caused it to be the subject of many strange superstitions among the natives of Africa, is found throughout the whole of that continent, excepting its most northern portions: it lives principally in mountainous districts, but nevertheless constantly makes its appearance in all parts of the widely-extended plains; yet, notwithstanding the frequency with which this bird is seen by travellers, it is by no means easy to obtain possession of a specimen, as it usually soars so high when in flight as to be out of gunshot, and will often pass the entire day in thus sailing over extensive tracts of country; at noon, however, it may generally be found slaking its thirst at a pool of water, or taking a short nap upon a tree near some stream. The afternoon and early evening are spent in the pursuit of food, and it is only when darkness has fully closed in that the "Mountebank" seeks shelter for the night. Le Vaillant mentions having seen this species flying about in pairs, but we ourselves have always found it solitary; during the breeding season alone it is to be found associated with others of its kind in small parties. Speke tells us that the Short-tailed Kite is regarded by some of the African tribes with superstitious dread, its shadow being supposed to bring ill-luck, while others, on the contrary, venerate it on account of its imaginary powers of healing by means of rare medicinal roots which they imagine that it flies to a great distance to obtain. The latter notion has no doubt arisen from the fact that the snakes so frequently devoured by this bird have been mistaken for pieces of roots, when borne by their destroyer to its resting-place. From the strange antics and remarkable appearance of this Kite, it is called by the Abyssinians "The Monkey of the Sky;" and those who have seen it alternately tumbling, gliding, rising, or falling through the air will own that the name is not ill applied. Only when on the wing can the beauty of the Mountebank be fully appreciated; while in the trees its appearance is most ungainly--the body is inflated till it looks like a ball of feathers, and the plumage hangs loose about the neck and face, the head being meanwhile turned about in all directions, after the manner of the Screech Owl. The sight of this bird, like that of other Kites, is very keen, and its powers of hearing excellent. In its wild state it is extremely shy, even towards its congeners; and though it will often engage in serious conflicts, is by no means courageous. In captivity it soon becomes exceedingly tame, and, unlike other birds of prey, quite enjoys being stroked. But little care, either as regards food or climate, is required to keep the Mountebank in health when caged, as it can endure almost any variety of temperature. Gazelles, lambs, sick sheep, young ostriches, and carrion are said to constitute its favourite food, but we cannot vouch for the truth of this statement, as our own observations have led us to the conclusion that this species subsists chiefly upon reptiles, and is equally destructive to snakes of all kinds, whether poisonous or not. When in pursuit of food of this description, it is immediately attracted by the conflagrations that frequently break out upon the vast plains of their native land, and will fly quite close down to the line of fire, snatching its victims as they vainly attempt to escape from the dense cloud of smoke in which they are enveloped; they will, no doubt, if driven by hunger, occasionally eat carrion. The period of incubation commences with the dry season, when, owing to the parched state of the ground, snakes are easily discovered among the burnt-up grass. The eyrie is usually built at the summit of a high tree, and the brood consists, according to Le Vaillant, of from three to four eggs, but we ourselves have never succeeded in finding more than two.

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The GLIDING KITES (_Elanus_) are common in all parts of the world, with the exception of Europe, where they are very rarely met with. This group is composed of four species, resembling each other in an unusual degree. All have compact bodies and thick plumage; their wings, of which the second quill is longer than the rest, extend beyond the tip of the short, slightly excised, and by no means powerful tail. The feet are short, powerful, and only partially covered with feathers, the middle toe is longer than the tarsus, and all the toes are armed with very sharp, hooked talons; the beak, which is short and comparatively high, is much bent, and terminates in a long hook; the margin of the upper mandible bulges slightly outwards. The plumage is extremely silky in its texture, and resembles that of the Owl in the formation of its feathers.

THE TRUE GLIDING KITE.

The TRUE GLIDING KITE (_Elanus melanopterus_) is of a beautiful greyish blue upon the upper portions of its body, and white beneath; the brow and shoulders are black; the eyes a brilliant red; the beak black; the cere and feet orange. The young are brownish grey on the back, and light yellow, streaked with brownish yellow, on the under parts of the body; most of the feathers are surrounded by a white border. The length of the male is about thirteen and a half and its breadth thirty inches; its wing measures eleven and a half and its tail five and a half inches. The female is somewhat larger. This Kite principally inhabits such tracts of country as are diversified by woodlands and pastures, and usually avoids extensive forests; with this exception, it is found throughout the whole of North-eastern Africa, and is particularly numerous in Egypt. It always lives in pairs, never flying about in parties except when engaged in instructing its young. The couples, however, live close to each other, and may, therefore, often be seen apparently enjoying a social excursion, when in fact, each family is entirely regardless of its neighbours. In its habits the Gliding Kite bears some resemblance both to the Buzzard and the Owl, and is easily recognised either as it flies with the tips of its wings raised much above its body, or when seen quietly perched and glowing with dazzling brilliancy in the rays of a tropical sun. If in pursuit of prey, it glides along at a considerable height above the ground, and, when it descries a victim, hovers for a few moments before swooping heavily down with wings close to its sides; should it be a mouse, or a grasshopper that is thus hastily seized, the former is carried off to a tree to be devoured, the latter immediately swallowed. Young birds are often eaten, but mice, we believe, constitute its principal subsistence. So entirely is this species free from any dread of man, that in Egypt it flies about in the fields close to the native labourers, and will even build its nest upon such orange-trees as are constantly visited by the gardener; it soon, however, becomes cautious if pursued, and learns to keep at a very respectful distance from the European gun. In its relations to such of its feathered companions as are small or harmless, the True Gliding Kite is quite inoffensive, but it pursues the larger birds of prey with loud cries whenever they appear. The voice of this species resembles that of the Tree Falcon; the notes are, however, more prolonged, almost like a whistle, and can be heard at a great distance. In Egypt the period of incubation takes place in the months that correspond with our spring, and in Soudan at the commencement of the rainy season: we have twice found young birds as early as March. The nests were flat in shape, and placed upon low, thickly-foliaged trees, at not more than twenty feet above the ground; they were built of small twigs, and lined with fine fibres and blades of grass, over which was laid a snug bed of wool and mouse's hair. The eggs vary in colour, some being greyish white, thickly but irregularly spotted, and streaked with reddish brown, insomuch that the whitish colour of the shell is scarcely visible. Jerdon mentions these eggs as being pure white; their length is one and a half inches, and their diameter, in the thickest part, about fourteen lines. If taken young from the nest, the Gliding Kite is capable of being made very tame, and soon accustoms itself to life in a cage.

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The HOVERING KITES (_Ictinia_) are American birds, very nearly allied to those we have just described. This group consists of but two species. In these birds the wings--in which the third quill is longer than the rest--are long and pointed; the tail of medium length, and slightly sloping; the feet powerful, but of no great size; the toes are comparatively short, and armed with round and very decidedly curved talons; the beak is short, nearly as broad as it is high, and furnished at its base with rudimentary tooth-like appendages; the plumage is thick and soft, and the individual quills of moderate size.

THE MISSISSIPPI KITE.

The MISSISSIPPI KITE (_Ictinia Mississippensis_) is about fourteen inches long and thirty-six broad. The head, nape, and entire upper portions of the body are blueish white; the back, wings, and tail, black, enlivened by a greenish gloss; the secondary quills are tipped with greyish white, the outer web of the primaries being of a brilliant red; the eye is deep red; the beak, and a place round the eye, black; the foot is bright red. "When spring arrives," says Audubon, "the Mississippi Kite extends its migrations as high as the city of Memphis, on the noble stream whose name it bears, and along our eastern shores to the Carolinas, where it now and then breeds, feeding the while on lizards, small snakes, and beetles. At times, congregating to the number of twenty or more, these birds are seen sweeping round some tree, catching the large locusts which abound in those countries at an early part of the season. The Mississippi Kite arrives in Lower Louisiana about the middle of April, in parties of five or six, and confines itself to the borders of deep woods, or to those near plantations, not far from the shores of the rivers, lakes, or bayous. It never moves into the interior of the country; plantations lately cleared, and yet covered with tall, dying, girted trees, placed near a creek or bayou, seem to please it best.

"Its flight is graceful, vigorous, protracted, and often extended to a great height, the Fork-tailed Hawk being the only species that can compete with it. At times it floats in the air as if motionless, or sails in broad, regular circles, when, suddenly closing its wings, it glides along to some distance and renews its curves. Now it sweeps, in deep and long undulations, with the swiftness of an arrow, passing almost within touching distance of a branch on which it has observed a small lizard, or an insect it longs for, but from which it again ascends disappointed. Now it is seen to move in hurried zig-zags, as if pursued by a dangerous enemy, sometimes seeming to turn over and over like a Tumbling Pigeon; or it may be observed flying round the trunk of a tree to secure large insects, sweeping with astonishing velocity. While travelling, it moves in the desultory manner followed by Swallows, but at other times it is seen in company with the Fork-tailed Hawk, at a great elevation, among the large flocks of Carrion Crows and Turkey Buzzards, dashing at the former and giving them chase, as if in play, until these cowardly scavengers sweep downwards; it then abandons this apparently agreeable sport to the Hawks, who now continue to gambol undisturbed. When in pursuit of a large insect or a small reptile, this Kite turns its body sideways, throws out its legs, extends its talons, and generally seizes its prey in an instant. It feeds while on wing, apparently with as much ease and comfort as when on the branch of a tall tree. It never alights on the ground; at least, I have never seen it do so, except when wounded, and then it appears extremely awkward. It never attacks birds, or quadrupeds of any kind, with a view of destroying them for food, although it will chase a fox to a considerable distance, screaming loudly all the while, and soon forces a Crow to retreat to the woods."