36 STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 



The brave little sparrow-hawk, a relative, as I told you, of the goshawk, 

 can do anything he likes with him. He is the smallest of the two, and, we 

 must confess, has a very quarrelsome temper; but the kite flies away as fast as 

 he can to get out of his way. He seems as if he would hide himself in the 

 very clouds. But the sparrow-hawk is bent on finishing the squabble, and he 

 goes after him, and beats and buffets him, till the kite is often brought to the 

 ground, more frightened, perhaps, than hurt. 



The kite often gets into trouble by his love for young ducks and chickens. 

 He is so intent on his act of plunder, and so greedily desirous of his prey, 

 that he forgets his usual caution. A hen-coop once stood in a farmyard, and 

 the young ducklings, which a hen had hatched, were waddling about and 

 enjoying themselves. The kite saw what was going on, and knew that the 

 hen could not interpose ; so he made a great pounce upon a poor little 

 duckling. The duckling screamed loudly, and ran to the pond for safety. 

 The kite followed as close as could be, and even ventured into the pond after 

 it. In the meantime the servant-girl had heard the screams, and went to see 

 what was the matter. The kite could not fly all at once, and the girl had 

 time to knock him over with a broom. 



In the engraving, the kite is sitting on the bough of a tree, as if he had 

 had his repast, and were quite content. 



You can see from his hooked beak and sharp talons that he is related to 

 the eagle and the hawk. His beak is short, and his plumage soft and glossy. 

 Truly he is a handsome bird ; and if he were to leave his bough, you would 

 see that his manner of flying is very graceful. His wings are long, and his 

 tail is forked ; he glides and wheels about in all kinds of attitudes, and it is a 

 pretty sight to watch him. 



In some parts of Scotland he is very rare, and it is quite a matter of 

 surprise to see a kite. Once a kite used to make his appearance every day 

 about the same hour, and wheel, and curve, and go through all his evolutions, 

 to the great delight of the people who saw him. They would stand and 

 watch him in wonder and admiration. A naturalist tried in vain to catcii 

 the bird, and followed him over moor and mountain. The kite always 

 kept out of his way ; but as he glided along he would swoop now on 

 a partridge, and now a grouse. Indeed, he made great havoc among the 

 game. His love of game cost him his life; for one day he was so intent 

 on devouring a partridge that he did not see his enemy stealing along 



