THE KITE — GENTIL FALCON. 59 



the spot; but the Bird could not be found, nor did it return till seve» 

 days afterwards. I had been used to call him every evening with a 

 whistle : this he did not answer for six days ; but on the seventh I 

 heard a feeble cry at a distance, which I judged to be that of my 

 Buzzard: I repeated the whistle a second time, and heard the same cry. 

 I went to the place from which the sound came ; and, at last, found my 

 poor Buzzard with his wing broken. He had travelled more than half 

 i league on foot to regain his asylum, from which he was then distant 

 About a hundred and twenty paces. Though he was extremely re- 

 duced, he gave me many caresses. It was six weeks before he was re- 

 cruited, and his wounds were healed ; after which he began to fly as 

 before, and to follow his old habits : these he continued for about a 

 year, and then disappeared for ever." 



THE KITE, GLEDE, OR GLED. 



The Kite, Glede, or Gled, is not uncommon in England, and is 

 spread over Europe, Asia, and Northern 

 Africa. It is especially hated by the farmer 

 for its depredations on his poultry, and its 

 appearance is the signal for a general outcry 

 among the terrified poultry, who perceive it 

 long before the keenest-eyed man can dis- 

 tinguish it from a casual spot in the distant 

 sky. The sportsman also detests it for the 

 havoc which it makes among the game, — 

 possibly the Kite hates the sportsman for 

 the same reason. 



It builds in tall trees, and lays three eggs, white, spotted with red* 

 dish brown at the larger end. Its length is rather more than two feet; 

 the fourth primary feather is the longest, the first and seventh nearly 

 equal. 



THE GENTIL FALCON. 



The Gentil Falcon measures about two feet in length. Its beak ia 

 of a red color, with a yellow cere. The head and back part of the neck 

 are rusty, with oblong black spots. The back and wings are brown, 

 and each feather of the wings is tipped with rust-color. The quills are 

 dusky ; the outer webs barred with black, and the lower parts of the 

 inner webs are marked with white. The wings reach to the middle 

 of the tail, which is banded with black and ash-color, and tipped with 

 white. The legs are short and yellow, and the claws black. 



When, in ancient times, the sport of falconry was in high repute, 

 this was one of the species of Falcons which was employed. It is a 

 spirited and dauntless bird ; and in a wild state is a native of the rocka 

 »f Caernarvonshire, and the Highlands of Scotland. 



In Syi'ia there is a small variety of the Gentil Falcon, which the i» 



