BEHIND THE VEIL IN BIRDLAND 



The Kite builds a very substantial nest, and is very fond of 

 decorating it with pieces of paper and bright-coloured rags. In 

 the old days, when this fine bird was common in our English 

 counties, this custom no doubt was very prevalent, but now the 

 few remaining Kites are found in localities where they have little 

 opportunity of finding such material to decorate their nests with. 

 However, I have seen one Welsh nest with a lining of paper, and, 

 strange to say, this actual piece a few days previously contained 

 the lunch of one of our party who had visited the wood. He had 

 his lunch quite close to the tree in which the nest was built, and 

 afterwards left the paper lying on the ground. When he had left 

 the wood the Kites quickly picked this up, and placed" it in their 

 nest as a valuable addition to their home ! 



In another part of this book I have mentioned that the Kite 

 seems to be a great coward when attacked by the bold Carrion 

 Crow; yet, at other times, it shows that it is endowed with 

 plenty of courage, for upon a dog going near a certain nest the 

 sitting bird swooped down, struck the creature's back with her 

 sharp talons, and sent it away howling with pain. 



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