THE KITE OF THE STEPPES, OR PALLID HARRIER. The KITE OF THE STEPPES, or PALLID HARRIER (_Strigiceps pallidus_), is about sixteen inches and a half long and thirty-eight and a half broad; its tail measures eight and a quarter and wing thirteen inches. In the general coloration of its plumage this bird differs but little from the species last described, though it is somewhat paler in tint, being of a leaden colour above and pure white upon the lower portions of its body; the tail and wings are distinctly striped with grey, and the wings tipped with black. The adult female is brown; the individual feathers of the mantle edged with a light reddish shade; the under side is pale reddish yellow, streaked with a darker tint. The young are recognised by the uniform colour of their parts. As a distinguishing mark between the Blue Kite and this bird we will add that in the former the fourth quill, and in the latter the third, is longer than the rest. THE MEADOW KITE, OR ASH-COLOURED HARRIER. The MEADOW KITE, or ASH-COLOURED HARRIER (_Strigiceps cineraceus_), must be regarded as representing a distinct group (_Glaucopterix_). This species is seventeen inches long and forty-two inches broad; the wing measures about fourteen inches, and the tail eight and a half. Its wings are very long, and the facial discs but slightly developed. The head, mantle, throat, and upper part of the breast are in the adult male greyish blue; the feathers upon the belly and legs are white, with reddish shafts. The primary quills are quite black, and the secondaries light greyish blue, marked with irregular black streaks, which form a well-defined border on the outer wing. The tail is ornamented with four or five dark stripes. The adult female and young male are brownish grey, the top of the head being red, striped with black. The lower portions of the body are white, marked indistinctly with reddish spots. The very young birds are of a spotless rust-red beneath, and above are covered with dark brown feathers, these latter being tipped with a reddish shade; the eye is almost surrounded by a large dark brown patch, under which is a white spot; the rump is white, the wing and tail feathers marked with irregular dark spots. The eye of the adult male is bright yellow. * * * * * The BLUE KITE, or HEN HARRIER, the first of the three species above described, is found throughout the greatest part of Europe and the whole of Central Asia; it seldom, however, wanders very far south, appearing but rarely in India, and being, we believe, unknown in Africa, where it is replaced by * * * * * The PALLID HARRIER (_Strigiceps pallidus_), which is met with in large numbers from Egypt to the western coast of Africa, but seldom makes its appearance in Southern Europe. * * * * *