156 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



evidently no rarity in his time in many districts in the kingdom, "We have 

 only once seen a Kite in Xonh Devon, and this was many years ago, near 

 Bratton Fleming. '• The wheeling Kite's wild solitary cry " * is now unheard 

 throughout the South of England. Although Mr. Kodd could remember 

 its breeding annually in some large woods in Cornwall, it is now as rarely 

 seen in that county as it is in Devon. Mr. Rodd's own collection possessed 

 a fine female shot at Trebartha in 1S67, and we have seen a pair of Kites 

 in the Truro Museum, Avhich were obtained near Mevagissy, and were 

 presented to the Museum by Mr. Tremayne, M.P. The Kite is equally 

 rare in Somerset: we know of one which was trapped at Bagborough, 

 on the Quantock Hills, and of another, the most recent occurrence in 

 Somerset of which we have information, in "West Coker Wood, near 

 Yeovil, shot in the spring of 1875, which is now in the Taunton Castle 

 Museum. A pair of Kites frequented the neighbourhood of Dorchester 

 in the early summer of 18S8, and would probably have nested if one of 

 the birds had not unfortunately been killed through eating some poisoned 

 carrion laid down for foxes, when the other bird disappeared (Mansel- 

 Pleydell, Zool. 1888, p. 207). 



The rapid and almost complete extermination of the Kite in the British 

 Islands since the introduction of percussion guns and of more general 

 game-preserving, while many others of the Hawk family, although equally 

 persecuted, stiU contrive to hold their own in more or less numbers, seems 

 to indicate that the Kite is a foolish, bhmdering bird, less capable of taking 

 care of itself and of avoiding its enemies ; and by its frequent forays upon 

 the poultrA-yard it more often came in the way of danger. There are 

 one or two places where tlie Kite still nests in Wales and Scotland, and it 

 would be a matter of rejoicing to English ornithologists if this interesting 

 old English bird, protected in these, its last sanctuaries, might be permitted 

 once more to extend itself throughout the country. 



According to Dr. E. Moore there was a specimen of the Kite caught at Trowles- 

 worthy Wai-ren. Dartmoor, in 1831, in Capt. Morbhead's collection at NN'idey ; another 

 at Saltram ; and another in tlie collection of ilr. Sydenham, a dyer at Plymouth, 

 which was shot in 183"). Drew and Bolitho each liad examples, but at the time Dr. 

 Moore wrote the Kite was annually becoming more rare (.Mag. Nat. Hist. 1837, p. 113; 

 Rowc's Peramb. Dartmoor, 1st ed. 1848, p. 22'.)). An adult female was trapped near 

 Trowlesworthy Rabbit-warren, on Shaugh Moor, near Plymouth, Sept. 17th, 1851, a 

 pair having been seen there on June 18th previously (R. A. J., ' Naturalist,' 1852, p. 7). 

 This femnle was probably the specimen which was in the collection of Rev. C. Bulteel, 

 and passed into the possession of Mr. Richard Andrew, of Modbury. One occurred at 

 Dartmouth, Dec. 1852. An old male was shot at Weeke, in the parish of Loddiswell, 

 on the bank of the Avon, wliilst feeding on a dead sijeep, Sunday, Oct. 13th, 18G2, by 

 Mr. Adams, who was on his way to church, but returned home for his gun. This 

 bird was in the collection of the late I\lr. John Elliot, of Tresillian House, Kings- 

 bridge (H. N., Zool. 18(i3, p, 8325 ; J. B. R., Trans. Plyiu. Inst. 1802-63, p. 53 ; 

 E. A. S. E., 171 lift.). A male shot on the cliffs adjoining the sea at Coulton, Kingswear, 

 bv Mr. Bastard in March 18(i4, is in the collection of Mr. Henry NichoUs, at Kings- 

 bridge (H. N., MS. Notes ; Zool. 1864, p. 9()3l) i. One was eeen by Mr. E. A. S. Elliot, 

 between Bolbury and Hope, near Kiiigsbridge, March 19th, 1888. 



A pair shot in Yarner Wood are now in the possession of Mr. Watts of Forde House, 



* Keble, ' Christian Year,' XXth S. after Trinity. 



