Vol. xxiii.] 92 



disturbed in any way ; even the watchers did not go up to 

 the nest between the 6th of April and the 20th of May. 

 The eggs were evidently infertile. This pair of birds are 

 possibly the same as those which nested in the same locality 

 last year with a similar result. 



" In the same locality a third pair began building on the 

 20th of March. The first egg was laid on the 7th of April and 

 the birds began to sit on the 10th. On the 2nd of May two 

 young ones were hatched. On the 9th of May one of the 

 young birds was found dead at the foot of the tree. No 

 reason could be assigned for this. The weather was mild 

 and calm. 



" So far the surviving bird is doing well. 



*' A fourth nest was built in the early part of April on 

 another estate. Three eggs were laid and on Tuesday the 

 20th of April, at the request of Lord Cawdor^ four keepers 

 were instructed to watch the nest. A hut was built 

 200 yards from the tree. On Saturday, the 24th of April, at 

 6 o^clock in the morning, one watchman relieved the other. 

 At 6.30 the bird left the nest and hovered round the spot 

 pestered by a great number of Rooks which built in the same 

 wood. The Kite settled on a neighbouring tree, but did not 

 return to the nest. She remained in the vicinity until the 

 afternoon, when the male bird appeared : both then soared 

 to a considerable height and flew right away. 



'^ These facts were reported to the owner of the estate, who 

 promptly sent one of his keepers to fetch the eggs, and 

 placed them in an incubator, but it is feared that nothing 

 will result. 



" The night of the 23rd was wet and stormy, and, the nest 

 being in a very exposed place, it seems probable that the 

 bird got thoroughly soaked. We believe this to have been 

 the cause of her deserting her domicile. 



" Since then the same pair have built another nest some 

 miles nearer to the haunts which we have mentioned above. 



" A fifth pair of birds have been seen from time to time near 

 Llwynmadoc, but we have not been able to locate the nest. 



" In the early part of the season a pair were seen on the 



