168 KITES. 



accustomed as they are to pounce at once on their 

 game, and if disappointed, leave it, and continue 

 their search elsewhere, they will, at times, follow 

 a devoted bird for a length of time with great per- 

 severance. Not long ago, some fishermen belonging 

 to Newhaven ? when about five miles from the Bass- 

 rock, off the coast of Scotland, observed a Hawk in 

 close pursuit of a small bird. Apparently exhausted 

 by its numberless sudden turns, spiry circles, and 

 various efforts to escape, it was just on the point of 

 falling into the claws of its pursuer, when the fish- 

 ermen gave a loud shout, by way of frightening the 

 Hawk, on which the little bird flew down for pro- 

 tection, and perched, quite exhausted, in the midst 

 of them. It proved to be a fine Lark. The Hawk 

 approached within a few yards of the boat, and after 

 hovering about for a short time, turned his course 

 towards the shore. 



The Glead, or Kite, was a well-known bird, and 

 much oftener seen in former days, even in towns, as 

 we have shown, than at present, but for some reason 

 or other they are getting every year more scarce. 

 Still they may now and then be observed soaring in 

 wide circles over woods, easily distinguished from 

 other birds by their length of wing and forked tails. 

 There is a very curious story told by a gentleman, of 

 a, strange manner in which not less than fifteen were 

 caught at the same time: he says he remembers, when 

 a boy, that several of them happened to be roosting on 

 some lofty elm- trees, in winter, when a fog came on, 

 which freezing as it fell, completely glued their feet 

 to the boughs; and they were all taken. The truth 

 of this extraordinary anecdote has been often ques- 



