XXXII 



THE KITE 



"And other losses do the dames recite, 

 Of chick, and duck, and gosling gone astray, 

 All falling preys to the fell, swooping kite, 

 And on the story runs, morning, noon and night." 



CLARE (Village Minstrel). 



TT is rarely that the average, present to so much of the Principality. Here 

 day ornithologist can boast a then a few very few pairs of kites 

 real acquaintanceship with the kite, still endeavour to " live and have their 

 For, from being in mediaeval ages a being," but until the last two years, 

 bird of general occurrence in town and when proper precautions have been 

 country alike, he may now be safely taken to outwit the egg-robbers, they 

 included in the first six rarest, regular have striven with little success to per- 

 British breeding birds. This unhappy petuate their species, 

 state of affairs has been largely due Stray then to a favourite haunt of 

 to the craze for pheasant-worship and the kite and study this rare bird in its 

 to the kite's own detrimental habit of native fastness. It is late in the after- 

 pilfering, which to the henwife has noon of a cheerless October day. A 

 been a constant and terrible source leaden sky and torrents of stinging 

 of trial. sleet and numbing rain, emphasized 

 The Barcud's [pronounced Barkit], by shrieking gusts of icy-cold wind, 

 to give the kite one of its Welsh appel- blur the entire panorama. Only occa- 

 lations, last stronghold in our Islands sionally does a prognathous bluff of the 

 is amongst the wild hills of Wales ; in mountain peep through the enshroud- 

 a country which may aptly be described ing halo, as it lifts momentarily. Well 

 as a vast mountain wilderness relieved may such an outlook breed disquiet 

 from too marked a severity and same- in the breast of man and beast alike, 

 ness by numberless romantic " cwms " Buzzards mew disconsolately from the 

 and dingles many of them well- crags ; a patriarchal pair of ravens 

 wooded, and embracing some of the exchange greetings solemnly, and nearly 

 loveliest scenery that Great Britain every animate object seems depressed. 

 can show. Indeed it is this judicious But not so the Barcud. For him, 

 blending of mountains, woods and rivers storm and tempest possess no terrors, 

 which imparts that ravishing beauty as sweeping out from the oak wood 



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