SHOOTING UNDER A KITE 



HAVING upon more occasions than one shot English 

 partridges under a hawk-kite late in the season or when 

 the birds had become too wild to walk up, we determined 

 to include a kite amongst our sporting equipment during 

 a recent visit to South Africa. For the enlightenment 

 of those of the readers who are unacquainted with the 

 hawk-kite and the methods of flying it over game, it 

 may be as well, perhaps, to give a short description of 

 the invention. 



As, of course, every sportsman is aware, all birds, and 

 not a few of the smaller species of deer and antelopes, 

 have a mortal fear of any winged creature that bears 

 the slightest resemblance to a hawk or eagle, and will 

 lie like so many stones while the feathered marauder 

 remains in the neighbourhood, crouching close to the 

 'ground and with one eye turned upwards (all birds 

 and many animals have to turn one side of their heads 

 upwards when gazing at an object passing in mid-air). 



The hawk-kite is made in either waterproof silk or a 

 very strong kind of twill fashioned and coloured to repre- 

 sent a large peregrine-falcon. When flown in a good breeze 

 of wind the kite bears a very striking resemblance 

 to the bird it is supposed to represent, the tips of the 

 wings being loose and the wings themselves placed at 



such an angle to the body of the kite as to lend the whole 



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