From Fox's Earth 



age, the merlin, like the peregrine, will continue 

 to owe its existence to its own resourcefulness. 



" I have myself in one season seen three nests of 

 that sylvan ornament the kite." In other woods 

 than Glenlass was the same happy abundance. 

 One would search in vain for the wilds where 

 were three nests, and with scant hope over many 

 wilds for even one. It nests but in the memory 

 that goes furthest back, or in the tale told of 

 olden days. From the worn seat on the village 

 green of an evening, the peasant might watch the 

 slow wheel on motionless pinion so high that it 

 seemed scarce larger than the lark. It did no 

 harm ; but ignorance invents. One never sees, 

 seldom hears of the kite. Nowhere is it more 

 than extremely rare. No longer does it appear on 

 the gamekeeper's gallows-like row of examples ; 

 so effectively was the work done by those who 

 went before. As the eagle, so is the kite, a 

 ground feeder, a greedy bird to boot, taking 

 readily whatever is laid down. Its capture is 

 ridiculously easy, and within the compass of the 

 heaviest-witted trapper. 



In certain districts a somewhat belated senti- 

 ment now protects the golden eagle. Favouritism 

 is always offensive, and we forget to thank those 

 who go on killing elsewhere. That the eagle 

 should be allowed to poise in the heavens by 

 special permission of the proprietor of the soil 

 may be very nice, though it savours of the 



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