KITE. 93 



which has ^iven it, according to the best authorities, the 

 name, Gleacl. The word so rendered, however, in our version 

 of the Bible is of more general application in Canon Tristram's 

 opinion, and Ai/aJi, translated Vulture, more properly means 

 Kite. Occasionally this species sails in circles, with its 

 rudder-like tail by its inclination governing the curve ; then 

 stops, and remains stationary for a time, the tail expanded 

 widely. In its mode of taking its prey the Kite is distin- 

 guished from Falcons and Hawks generally, by seizing it 

 upon the ground. The nature of the food also makes this 

 habit evident ; twenty-tw^o moles have been found in the 

 nest of a Kite, besides frogs and unfledged birds : it preys 

 also on leverets, rabbits, snakes, and fish, but where it is 

 abundant its food is chiefly offal, thus illustrating Sir T. 

 Browne's remark that it was scarce near Norwich, " because 

 of the plenty of Ravens," Old traditions shew that it fre- 

 quently visited the poultry-yard, but it was not remarkable 

 for its courage, and hens have been known by their vocifera- 

 tions and show of resistance to protect their chickens from 

 the threatened attack, and even to drive away the unwel- 

 come intruder. 



In Hertfordshire and Essex the Kite was called the Put- 

 tock, and the Crotchet-tailed Puddock; but this name, as 

 well as that by which it is now commonly called, was, and is, 

 often used indiscriminately in some localities for the Buzzards 

 and Harriers as well. 



In former days the Kite, from the excellent sport it shewed 

 when pursued by Falcons, was esteemed a bird especially 

 adapted to the gratification of Royalty, and by many 

 naturalists it is still called Milrus irf/aUs, the epithet being 

 originally bestowed upon it from this circumstance. The 

 Falcons which cost Sir Thomas Monson so large a sum 

 of money, as previously mentioned (p. 51), were expressly 

 trained for this flight, hitherto unknown in England, and 

 the only ones he could ever get to perform it. That gentle- 

 man was Master Falconer to James I., and, says the gossiping 

 chronicler. Sir Antony Weldon, "in truth such a one, as no 

 Prince in Christendome had." The birds killed nine Kites 



