The SWALLOW-TAILED KITE (_Nauclerus furcatus_) is a most beautiful member of this group, belonging to Southern and Central America; many of this species have, however, from time to time found their way to Europe, and it may therefore be considered as in some measure belonging to our continent. This remarkable bird is distinguished by its powerful body, short neck, and small but powerful head. Its wings, which in shape resemble those of the Swallow, are long, and gradually pointed; their third quill being longer than the rest. The tail is very long, and so deeply forked that the exterior feathers are twice as long as those in the centre; the beak, which is of no great size, and rather shallow, curves gently from its base, and terminates in an abrupt hook; the margins are straight but furrowed. The feet are small and powerful, the toes short, and armed with sharp and very crooked talons. The plumage is soft, and composed of large feathers. The entire coat of the adult bird is white, if we except the mantle and tail, which are black, but gleam with a metallic lustre; the inner web of the secondary quills is white towards the tip. In young birds the feathers upon the nape and back of the head have black or very dark shafts, the plumage upon the back is grey and lustreless, the lower wing-covers are also tipped with grey, the exterior secondary quills are pure white. The eye is dark brown, the beak black, the cere blueish grey, the feet are greenish blue, and the claws horn colour. The male is somewhat smaller than its mate, from which it is also recognisable by the pure white of the rump and the brilliant black of the wings. The length of this species is about twenty-three inches, its breadth fifty inches; the tail measures sixteen, and the longest tail-feathers twelve inches. [Illustration: THE SWALLOW-TAILED KITE (_Nauclerus furcalus_).]