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Show 1868.] MR. R. C BEAVAN ON INDIAN RAPTORES. 399 55. HALIASTUR IN DUS, Bodd. The Brahminy Kite of Europeans in India; Dhobee ka cheel or Washerman's Kite of the natives. This, as mentioned by Jerdon, is particularly abundant in Lower Bengal, and extends to the Maunbhoom district, where I observed several about tanks near villages, especially at Ambekanuggur, in February 1865. It is rare up the country at Umballah, where I do not recollect ever noticing it, but where is abundantly found the next species. 56. MILVUS GOVINDA, Sykes. The Common Pariah Kite of India. "Milvus assimilis, the young. I a m satisfied that two species of Kites exist in India, the larger, the true 31. govinda, appears to be identical with M. melanotis of China, Japan, Formosa, and the Loo-choo Islands; the smaller I consider identical with M. assimilis of Australia and Celebes. The young of M. govinda, when first leaving the nest, has both the upper and under plumage interspersed with longitudinal marks, sometimes white, sometimes pale brownish yellow, and about an inch in length. I want to ascertain whether the young of 3filvus affinis are similarly marked. The latter is very closely related to, though distinct from, the Black Kite of Europe" (M. ater), which I have seen from Afghanistan and from Northern China, and which may possibly occur in India also" (Gurney in epist. January 1866). I quite agree with M r . Gurney that there are probably two species of the common Kite in India, as specimens vary so very much in size, although they do not differ much in plumage; and as to M. ater being found in India, all I can say is, that in the hilly and jungle portions of the Maunbhoom district, about the villages of Maknu and Chalta in the pergunnah of Ambekanuggur, I repeatedly observed, in 1865, a black Kite, which I was unable to procure; it certainly was more of a Kite than an Eagle, and was not the Neopus malaiensis, or Black Eagle, which I had previously observed at Darjeeling. Milvus govinda extends up to Simla, in the north-west Himalaya, and is not so common at Umballah as in Lower Bengal. It is essentially a migratory species, disappearing almost entirely from the neighbourhood of Calcutta during the rains. 59. ELANUS MELANOPTERUS, Daud. The Black-winged Kite. A specimen shot in the Maunbhoom district is probably referable to this species. They were particularly abundant in the jungles to the south of Umballah in November 1866, and might frequently be seen hovering like a Kestril. Dimensions of a freshly killed specimen at Babyn, near Umballah- Length. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Spread ft. Bill ft. Gape. Extent. 12fin. 10^ in. 5 in. l|in. 2f in. fin. If^in. 30|in. In one specimen the irides were reddish brown ; another (probably an older bird) had them blood-red; the cere and feet light yellow, the latter with black claws ; the bill black ; the colour above is pale ashy, with blackish upper wing-coverts, and the feathers of the back |