BUZZARDS, KITES, HAWKS, ETC. 139 



they haunt, you may catch them with the greatest 

 facility. 



The large hlue Sherard kites frequent forests, heaths, 

 and other lonesome places, hut especially bogs and 

 marshy grounds, where they destroy great numbers of 

 snipes, to which they are the worst enemy of any birds 

 of prey of the hawk kind. They beat all over the bog 

 with the greatest regularity and exactness, till they find 

 them lying ; for the nature of the snipe is, if they per- 

 ceive their enemy in the pursuit, to lie as close to the 

 ground as possible, when the kite strikes directly upon 

 them. 



These vermin are very remarkable for one particular : 

 if ever you observe any of them coming in the morning, 

 you will be certain to see them return the same way 

 back in the afternoon ; and three or four succeeding 

 mornings they will have the same beat, if they are not 

 disturbed. Whenever, therefore, you see one go in the 

 morning, get a trap set ready against his return, baited 

 with a rabbit's skin, stuffed and put on the bridge of the 

 trap, but remember to cover the trap carefully with moss : 

 if you set it in a green sward, then cover it with grass, by 

 which means they are generally taken. 



The blue Sherard hawk in many respects resembles 

 the blue kite last described, and may be taken in the 

 same way. 



The large brown white-rump ring- tailed hawk is the 

 most pernicious and mischievous hawk that flies ; espe- 

 cially in destroying the partridge, which it takes not so 



