THE RED KITE 211 



flight is frequently performed by a series of circles, 

 which from being wide and lofty, probably so as 

 to embrace a full view of the covert below, 

 become lower and smaller, till when within a short 

 distance of the nest, the bird slides down on a gentle 

 slant. She will then sometimes go straight on to 

 the eggs, or she may, at first, momentarily alight 

 on a tree hard-by. 



In Scotland, we are told, May was the month 

 in which to seek the nest, yet in Wales, the 

 average date for a full ' ' set ' ' of eggs is between 

 April 15th and 25th, sometimes a little later. 

 Rarely are eggs found early in April. The same 

 hen will begin laying annually almost to a day. 

 If the eggs come to grief, a second venture is seldom 

 attempted : if it is, another nest is called into play. 

 In any case only one brood is produced in the course 

 of the year. The Kite will not desert her nest if 

 the egg first laid is removed, though in one case 

 the male, after the brutal butchery of his mate, 

 discontinued incubation ; while, in another instance, 

 a pair deserted their eggs owing to wood-cutting. 



I know w r oods shared by Kites and Buzzards 

 for nesting purposes, but this is not usual, chiefly, 

 I imagine, because the latter generally likes an 

 easterly, the former a northerly, aspect. Carrion- 

 Crows, however, are universally present, and 

 these sable devastators lose no opportunity of 

 harassing both birds, which, although of large 

 size and imposing presence, are at heart sadly 



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