206 FIELD-STUDIES OF RARER BIRDS 



adjoining no doubt harboured each a nest, but it 

 should be noted that a pair seldom hunt in 

 company. 



The same haunt then, and sometimes the same 

 nest, is used annually, though quite often a pair 

 have chosen a spot where two suitable woods 

 occur at fairly close quarters, in which event there 

 will be one nest at least in each. If, however, only 

 one wood exists, two or three nests, used alter- 

 nately, will be found therein. The eyrie not in use 

 is, nevertheless, partially refitted and littered with 

 bones and other refuse, for which, I believe, the 

 male is responsible. 



In Cambria, at all events, the Kite breeds 

 rather early. Long ere the oaks have begun to don 

 their summer-finery, the huge stick-nest stands out 

 prominently in some tree near the centre of a wood. 

 Mid-March sometimes sees a new home started, 

 but, in the case of renovating an old structure, 

 nothing is done in real earnest till early in April. 

 A new nest takes a fortnight to complete, an old 

 one a week or less. Both sexes are builders, and 

 the nest is invariably their own work, though not 

 rarely a Crow's or a Buzzard's ancient home is used 

 as a ground-work. In Britain the bird is essentially 

 a branch-builder, but a farmer told me that years 

 ago he once found a nest in rocks, and this may have 

 been true, seeing that in certain districts abroad, 

 notably in north Africa, the species does, w r e are 

 told, nest on crags. 



