266 BIRD LIFE IN WILD WALES 



the nest had improved wonderfully. The birds had 

 trodden down the wool, moss, and grass tufts, whilst 

 more sticks had been added to the rim. As adorn- 

 ment a few small bones — those of a rabbit I thought — 

 and nearly the whole of a lamb's skin, with the four 

 small hoofs intact dangling into the nest. This latter 

 article was well woven into the sticks. 



April will. — Visited the Kite's nest again. When 

 about half a mile from it, whilst watching a raven 

 being assailed by a pair of Carrion Crows, a Fork-tailed 

 Kite appeared on the scene, sailing about a yard 

 above sky-line, as is their custom. The nest did not as 

 yet hold an ^^%, but a varied assortment of rubbish 

 had been added, including the whole of a fowl's leg, 

 claws and all (I think that of the Spanish breed from its 

 grey colour), bones, grey worsted and thin rope with 

 more moss, wool, and hair. A few bits of down were 

 clinging to the sticks of the nest, whilst several 

 splashings showed on the branches beneath. 



April \^th. — Was at the Kite's nest once again. 

 Both Kites were soaring and circling wonderfully 

 above the wood. Presently they took different 

 courses, one making for a distant wood where they 

 often try and breed, the other for an adjacent valley. 

 There were no eggs yet, but more wool and moss 

 had been added to the nest. In spite of this I 

 began to doubt if it would ever come to anything. 



I now went on to the place where Dr. Salter and 

 myself saw a Kite on April 8th, and getting hold of 

 the keeper, took a walk round the place ; first of all 

 going through a fine wood of mixed trees — oaks, 

 beeches, Scotch and spruce firs, all of which were of 



