91 [Vol. xxiii. 



five pairs for certain and possibly one or two other couples. 

 Last year, so far as the protected nests were concerned, the 

 result was nil, but it was satisfactory to know that the old 

 birds were not destroyed. 



"This is a point gained, because, even since the rigid 

 protection was established, two old birds were shot near 

 their nests. The more we protect the more our difficulties 

 seem to multiply. The Carrion-Crow, unsuspected before, 

 destroyed two nests last year. This, however, is a vanishing 

 danger, because, thanks to the action of Lord Cawdor, at 

 least 80 Carriou-Crows have been killed within the last six 

 months. 



" It is feared that some of the Kites that now survive are 

 too old for breeding. Dr. Salter had a suspicion that this 

 was the case some years ago and on one occasion went so 

 far as to say that the birds were doomed for that reason. 



''Last year the eggs in one nest were infertile, and we 

 are sorry to say that we have reason to believe that there 

 are indications of this being the case in at least one nest 

 this year. 



''The reports of our successes and failures in former years 

 have reached you through Mr. Meade- Waldo, to whose 

 sympathy and support we owe so much.'' 



Mr. A. GwYNNE Vaughan then read the following 

 report : — 



" Our tale this year is a tale of woe. The season com- 

 menced well. In Mrs. Campbell-Davys's wood a pair built 

 and lined their nest and in all probability laid eggs. This 

 is one of the localities given away in the book we have 

 mentioned. A great number of looters appeared on the 

 scene about the middle of April, with the result that the nest 

 was deserted ; probably it was robbed. The pair may have 

 built elsewhere, but we have been unable to locate them. 



" On Lord Cawdor's estate, where, as already reported. 

 Kites have successfully nested for several years, a pair began 

 to build this year in March and incubation, commenced 

 on the Gth April. On Thursday tlie 20th of May there 

 were eggs but no young in the nest. The birds were not 



