326 KITE. 



observed on the eastern side of Great Britain ; but as the Kite 

 does not often migrate in a westerly direction, the gaps left by the 

 destruction of our indigenous birds have little chance of being filled. 

 In Ireland, according to Mr. More, it has only been observed five 

 or six times. 



In Scandinavia the Kite is not known to breed north of lat. 61°., 

 whence it emigrates on the approach of cold weather ; as it does also 

 from Denmark and Germany, where it is common in summer. In 

 Russia it is not found to the east of the Governments of Tula and 

 Orel, or of the river Dnieper. Over the rest of Europe it is generally 

 distributed, and in most of the countries washed by the Mediterranean 

 it is common and resident in suitable localities ; as it is also in the 

 Canaries, Madeira and the Cape Verd Islands. It is not rare in 

 North Africa as far east as Tunis, though in Egypt it is represented 

 by M. cegyptius ; it breeds, however, in Palestine and Asia Minor, 

 while most abundant there in winter. 



The nest, which is almost always placed in a tree — though in 

 North Africa it has been found in rocks — is composed of sticks, 

 mixed with a variety of rubbish — such as bones, fragments of news- 

 paper, old rags, and the " lesser linen " for which the Kite exhibits 

 a predilection well known fo Shakespeare. The eggs, laid in April 

 or early in May, and rarely more than 3 in number, are dull 

 white or very pale blue, spotted, blotched, and sometimes streaked 

 with reddish-brown: average measurements 2*25 by 175 in. Its 

 food is offal, small mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, and fish ; but 

 though the Kite is destructive to very young game and poultry, 

 especially when it has to satisfy a brood, and is, at times, bold 

 enough, it is not a powerful species ; and the old Grouse which have 

 been found in its nest in Scotland, were probably sickly birds, or 

 had been robbed from the Peregrine. On the wing the wide 

 circles of its flight are remarkably graceful ; either side of the out- 

 spread forked tail being raised or depressed at will, and serving 

 to govern the bird's course. In the search for prey a large extent 

 of ground is daily covered. The cry is a shrill tuhhv, heh-heh-heh. 



The adult has the head and neck white, striped with black ; mantle 

 rufous-brown ; primaries blackish ; tail rufous and much forked ; 

 under parts rusty-red, striped with dark brown on the breast ; under 

 side of wings whitish with a dark patch (very conspicuous in flight) ; 

 legs and feet yellow ; iris yellowish-white. Length about 24 in. The 

 male is a little smaller than the female, but his colours are brighter 

 and his tail is longer and more forked. The young are paler and 

 more mottled on both upper and under parts. 



