58 FOOD AND HABITS OF THE KITE. 



bearing off pieces of meat almost within reach of his hand. In the northern parts of 

 Africa, where they absolutely swarm, the Kite bears the same character for cool audacity, 

 having been often known to sweep suddenly down, snatch a piece of meat from a man's 

 hand, and disappear with its booty before he could recover from his surprise. 



In the present day, however,. the Kite is comparatively seldom seen in England, and 

 when observed, is of sufficient rarity to be mentioned in the floating records of natural 

 history. A correspondent of the " Zoologist " states that one of these birds was seen flying 

 over London on June 24th, 1859. The bird passed over Piccadilly at a supposed elevation 

 of a hundred yards, and flew with perfect steadiness over the vast expanse of smoke and 

 chimney-pots, which must have presented a strange contrast with the green fields and 

 leafy forests of its country home. 



Advancing civilization has done its work with the Kite, as with all other destructive 

 animals, and driven it far away from human habitations. Man chooses to be the only 

 destructive animal within his ovm domains, and, eagle-like, permits no inferior to poach 

 on his territory. The trap of the farmer, and the ready gun of the gamekeeper, have 

 gradually expelled the Kite from farm and preserve, and it is now to be found only in the 

 wide wooded district where it can remain comparatively free from persecution. 



The flight of this bird is peculiarly easy and graceful, as the wings are seldom flapped, 

 and the Kite sails through the air as by the mere power of volition. From the gliding 

 movements of the Kite when on the wing, it has derived the name of Gled, from the old 

 Saxon word glida. When in pursuit of prey, the Kite sails in circles at a considerable 

 height from the gi'ound, watching with its penetrating gaze the ground beneath, and 

 sweeping with unerrmg aim upon any bird, quadruped, or reptile that may take its 

 fancy. 



Should it pass over a farm-yard, the whole establishment is in an uproar, quite 

 inexplicable to any one who did not observe a certain little black speck sailing about in' 

 the heights of air. As soon as one of the smaller birds sees a Kite, it crouches to the 

 ground and lies there motionless, as if transformed into a stone or a clod of earth. This 

 instinctive movement is of great service, as it affords the only means of escaping the keen 

 eye of the rapacious foe, who hovers above the spot, and is sure to notice any object that 

 gives the least sign of life. Taking advantage of this habit, the fowlers make use of 

 trained Kites or falcons to aid them in securing their prey. When they have marked 

 down a covey of birds, they loose one of their trained hawks, who flies over the spot 

 where the birds are lying, and causes them to crouch to the earth, heedless of anything 

 but the foe above. While their attention is thus occupied, the fowlers come up with their 

 nets, and easily secure the whole covey. Even in ordinary sporting, where the birds are 

 very wild, a common paper Idte is employed with great success, and in a very simple 

 Tcanner. The kite is raised in the air, and allowed to take out one or two hundred yards 

 of string ; a boy then takes charge of the kite, and walks over the land where the 

 partridges are known to be. The birds mistake the paper kite for some soaring bird 

 of prey, and permit the sportsmen to come within gun-shot before they rise. 



Sometimes in making its stoop upon the poultry, it avoids their gaze by making 

 a detour close to the ground, gliding suddenly over the wall or hedge, pouncing upon a 

 chicken, and disappearing almost before its presence has been discovered. These raids, 

 however, are not invariably successful, for the Kite has been often foiled in his stoop by 

 the watchful care of the mother bird, who has seen the enemy coming, and valiantly 

 waged successful battle in defence of her young family. 



The food of the Kite is rather general in its nature, consisting of various quadrupeds, 

 young rabbits, hares, rats, mice, and moles, of which latter animals no less than twenty- 

 two were discovered in the nest of a single Kite, showing how rapid and noiseless must be 

 its movements when it can secure so wary and keen-eared an animal as a mole. It does 

 not chase the swift-winged birds through the air, but pounces on many a partridge as it 

 sits on the ground, and is remarkably fond of taking young and unfledged birds from their 

 nests ; reptiles of different kinds, such as snakes, frogs, lizards, and newts also form part 

 of its food, and it will not disdain to pick up a bee or a grasshopper when it can find no 

 larger prey. The Kite is also a good fisher, waging nearly as successful war against the 



