136 ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES. 



from Brighton, near the London road; being 

 only winged, it was kept alive for some time in a 

 garden. I had no opportunity of examining it, 

 either at that time or after its death, as the preser- 

 vation of the skin had been neglected ; but from 

 the accounts which I received from persons who 

 had frequently seen it, and who particularly no- 

 ticed the forked tail, I have no doubt that it was 

 an example of that now rare visitor the kite. 



I have ascertained that this species was compa- 

 ratively common in Sussex, about the beginning 

 of this century. All the old inhabitants of the 

 weald remember the " forky-tailed kite," but I am 

 sorry to say that among the rural population of 

 that district its disappearance is not so much a 

 matter of regret as with ornithologists ; they still 

 speak of it as the most fearless marauder of the 

 whole tribe of predatorial birds ; and say that such 

 was its partiality for juvenile poultry, that having 

 once favoured any particular farm-yard with a 

 domiciliary visit, its attentions were sure to be 

 continued, unless shot or trapped in the interim, 

 as long as a single young chicken remained to 

 follow the hens : 



" * * Le Milan, manifesto voleur, 

 Eut repandu 1'alarme en tout le voisinage, 

 Et fait crier sur lui les enfans du village." 



LA FONTAINE. 



