THE KITE. 135 



well as in Sussex ; for where is " the common 

 kite," " the common buzzard," or " the common 

 bittern " of frequent occurrence now-a-days ? 



As to the kite (Milvus vulgaris), I have never 

 yet been able to obtain a glimpse of it in the wild 

 state in any part of this county, though I have 

 seen it many years ago in Oxfordshire, once in 

 Derbyshire, and occasionally in North Wales. I 

 never met with it in Ireland, and am not aware 

 that it has been seen there. 



They who have once had the good fortune to 

 behold this beautiful bird on the wing have seldom 

 been able to refrain from expressing their admira- 

 tion of its surpassingly graceful flight, coupled 

 perhaps with sorrow, or some stronger feeling, at 

 the continued persecution which has almost ba- 

 nished it from the woods of England, and must 

 ere long effectually extirpate it as an indigenous 

 species. 



I am able to record only two instances of its 

 occurrence in this county, at least such as I con- 

 sider authentic. The late Mr. Dodd of Chich ester, 

 an accurate observer, favoured me, some years 

 since, with a notice that a bird of this kind had 

 been killed at Siddlesham, on the borders of 

 Pagham harbour. 



In 1843 a kite was shot at and wounded by the 

 bailiff on the farm of Withdean, about four miles 



