BIRDS OF PREY. 



33 



excepting its most northern portions : it lives principally in mountainous districts, but nevertheless 

 constantly makes its appearance in all parts of the widely-extended plains ; yet, notwithstanding the 

 frequency with which this bird is seen by travellers, it is by no means easy to obtain possession of a 

 specimen, as it usually soars so high when in flight as to be out of gunshot, and will often pass the 

 entire day in thus sailing over extensive tracts of country ; at noon, however, it may generally be 

 found slaking its thirst at a pool of water, or taking a short nap upon a tree near some stream. The 

 afternoon and early evening are spent in the pursuit of food, and it is only when darkness has 



ft 



THE short-tailed KITE {Hdotarsus ecaudatus). 



fully closed in that the " Mountebank " seeks shelter for the night. Le Vaillant mentions having seen 

 this species flying about in pairs, but we ourselves have always found it solitary ; during the breeding 

 season alone it is to be found associated with others of its kind in small parties. Speke tells us that 

 the Short-tailed Kite is regarded by some of the African tribes with superstitious dread, its shadow 

 being supposed to bring ill-luck, while others, on the contrary, venerate it on account of its imaginary- 

 powers of healing by means of rare medicinal roots which they imagine that it flies to a great distance 

 to obtain. The latter notion has no doubt arisen from the fact that the snakes so frequently devoured 

 by this bird have been mistaken for pieces of roots, when borne by their destroyer to its resting-place. 

 vol. ii. — 44 



