File:The royal natural history (1893) (14761843056).jpg

Identifier: royalnaturalhist47lyde (find matches)
Title: The royal natural history
Year: 1893 (1890s)
Authors: Lydekker, Richard, 1849-1915 Sclater, Philip Lutley, 1829-1913 Frostick, W. B., former owner. DSI Brooks, W. T., former owner. DSI
Subjects: Zoology Natural history
Publisher: London and New York : Frederick Warne & Co.
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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Text Appearing Before Image:
represented in the upperfigure of our illustration, is a rather smaller bird than the last, from whichit may be distinguished by its dark brown tail, faintly barred with a still deepertint, the general dark brown hue of the plumage of the upper - parts, save onthe head and throat, where the feathers are whitish with dark stripes. Itis further characterised by the black beak, and the absence of any distinct patch 2 00 DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY. of white at the base of the primary quills. This kite is distributed over the wholeof Africa and Madagascar, from whence it migrates into Southern and WesternEurope, while it occasionally reaches Scandinavia, and has been taken in England.Mr. H. Saunders observes that this kite appears on the Swiss lakes and riversabout the middle of April, and leaves early in the autumn. Frequently it may beseen fishino- in the Lake of Geneva, and often, while one of a pair is engaged inthis occupation, its fellow will be soaring high in the air. Leith-Adams writes
Text Appearing After Image:
- MM^. ^/ ^^fy^4 ^ EGYPTIAN OR YELLOW-BILLED KITE (\ liat. size). that as the red kites weie formerly wont to play the part of scavengers in London,so do the black kites at the present day in the filthy lanes of Cairo. Assisted byits ally, the Egyptian kite (i/. ccgyptius), which may be distinguished from theother on wing by the pale colour of its l^ill, they hover over the refuse-heaps,slaughter-houses, and wherever carrion and otFal are collected, now pouncing ontheir food and bearing it off in their talons, or, with that remorseless activitycliaracteristic of the genus, pursuing pigeons, until the terrified birds, worn out byexertion, sink exhausted, and are despatched by the enemy. Nor is this all: thefisherman has to keep a good lookout when he lands Ids net, as one or other is KITES. 201 sure to be on the lookout for the small fry. The^^ dispute the ownership of abone with the lean pariah dog, or pick up refuse floating down the river; theyhover over the farmer as he ploughs his

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