KITE. 125 



The sudden scythe-like sweep of wings that dare 

 The headlong plunge through eddying gulfs of air. 



Longfellow — Wayside Inn. 



The graceful smooth flight of the Kite with its long, forked 

 tail, is an object of admiration rarely to be enjoyed in Hereford- 

 shire. Its movement through the air resembles sailing rather than 

 flying, and the Kite is thought, by the movement of its tail, to have 

 taught mankind the art of steering. 



It has also given its name to the paper toy, so favourite an 

 amusement, in many parts of England, of the juvenile population ; 

 kite-flying requiring sufficient skill to make it an interesting 

 pastime. 



Some years ago the Kite nested in Brampton Bryan Park. 

 The park-keeper found the nest, and by patient watching managed 

 to shoot the male bird ; the female found a new mate, and returned 

 to share the same fate. These birds are now in the Ludlow 



Museum. 



The last specimen known to have been captured, was taken 



near Symonds Yat, many years since, and it is now in the Hereford 



Museum. A Kite was reported to have been seen in the woods 



near Symonds Yat in 1884. It is still occasionally seen on the 



northern side of the county, and Mr. Newman mentions that two 



nests were found in Radnorshire in 1870 (Zoologist^ in 1871, p. 2519). 



The food of the Kite is offal of any kind when it offers — leverets, 



rabbits, snakes, frogs, or unfledged birds. It builds in the forked 



branch of a large tree, or on the ledge of a rock. It has a large nest 



built of sticks, straw, and all sorts of materials, with a soft lining, in 



which cloth rags not unfrequently have a place ; hence Shakespeare 



says 



When the Kite builds, look to lesser linen. 



— Winter' & Tale, IV., 2. 



The Kite takes its food on the ground. It has been taught to 



hawk, but it is a craven bird, and quickly gives up the hunt for its 



quarry. 



The coMard Kite. 



Chaucek. 



