KITE. 73 
Pinax, and Shakspeare, in the Second Part of Henry the 
Sixth, identify the term Puttock with the Kite : 
“ Who finds the Partridge in the Puttock’s nest, 
But may imagine how the bird was dead, 
Altho’ the Avée soar with unblooded beak.” 
But in some counties the Common Buzzard is also called a 
Puttock. In Ireland, as I learn from Mr. Thompson of 
Belfast, the Kite is unknown to Ornithologists as an indi- 
genous bird; but gamekeepers and others call the Com- 
mon Buzzard a Kite. 
In France, as already mentioned at page 40, the falcon- 
ers of Louis the Sixteenth trained powerful Falcons, called 
Lanners, obtained from the eastern parts of Europe, to fly 
at Kites for the gratification of the king; and by some 
of the Naturalists of the Continent the Kite is still called 
Milan Royal and Milous regalis, from the amusement 
afforded by these birds to the royal parties. 
Sir John Sebright observes, that “the Fork-tailed Kites 
were much flown some years ago by the Earl of Orford, 
in the neighbourhood of Alconbury Hill. A great Owl, 
to the leg of which the falconers usually tie a fox’s brush, 
not only to impede its flight, but to make it, as they fancy, 
more attractive, is thrown up to draw down the Kite.” 
The Owl is trained to fly round in small circles, and to 
return when lured, and having performed his part of de- 
coy-bird, and the Kite thus enticed within the required 
distance then becomes the quarry. A cast of Hawks are 
sent in pursuit, the capture and death of the Kite being 
the real object intended. 
In proof of the docility of this species, Mr. Thompson 
of Belfast relates that “ Mr. R. Langtry, when at Loch 
Awe, in Argyleshire, early inthe summer of 1833, procured 
from the nest two young Kites, which proved a highly 
