292 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



In this way they often fall victhns to the trap placed on 

 the nest by the keepers. By the time the breeding 

 season comes round again the winter storms have re- 

 duced the nest to a mere ragged bundle of sticks. On 

 this foundation the new nest is occasionally built^ 

 although the general custom of this species is to build 

 an entirely new one. Many authorities have stated that 

 a deserted Crow's nest or Wood-Pigeon's nest is made 

 use of. I have never found it to be the case in this 

 neighbourhood." 



Respecting the velocity of the flight of this species, a. 

 curious instance is related in the Daily Chronicle, March 

 14, 1907 :— 



" Hawk's last Chase. — So great was the force with 

 which a Sparrow-Hawk in chase of a small bird darted 

 against a plate glass window at Lord Northbourne's 

 Mansion, Betteshanger, near Deal, that a circular hole 

 was smashed in the window, and the glass scattered ta 

 a distance of 18 feet. The Hawk's neck was broken." 



Genus MILYUS, Cuvier. 

 KITE. 



Milvus milvus (Linnaeus). S.N., I, p. 126 (1766).. 



The Kite is now an extremely rare bird in Kent, 

 although in days gone by it used to be a regular- 

 visitant. Boys, in 1792, includes this bird in his History 

 of Sandicich. The Rev. J. Pemberton Bartlett, in 1844, 

 states that it is " rare." According to Morris, one was 

 obtained at Sydenham in 1835. There is a Kentish 

 specimen in the Exeter Museum, the bequest of the 

 Rev. Bower-Scott. 



