Vol. xiii.] 46 



much during the past ten years. Most of the large land- 

 owners protect it so far as they are able ; the farmers and 

 shepherds are apathetic or indifferent. Its haunts are not 

 threatened by the spread of cultivation, and they lie beyond 

 the pale of game-preserving. Hence it is only very occasion- 

 ally that a Kite is shot, and, if only allowed to breed, the race 

 might still have a long lease of life. It is, however, most 

 exceptional for any of these pairs to bring off young, owing 

 to the greed of the egg-collectors. 



u The Kite resorts year after year to the same oak-wood, 

 and there builds or repairs its large and conspicuous nest 

 before there is a leaf upon the trees. These localities are 

 well known, and the nests are invariably raided. Private 

 collectors might in time be satisfied, but not so the dealers — 

 some of them so-called f naturalists/ One of these, hailing 

 from Pembrokeshire, has visited the district annually for the 

 past ten years, and has seldom failed to secure the contents 

 of three nests. He states that at £5 the clutch he has far 

 more orders for Kites' eggs than he can supply. No young 

 are reared to take the place of an occasional bird which is 

 shot, and thus the species dwindles and must, but for timely 

 action, soon become extinct in Wales. Its extermination 

 will be due solely to the egg-collectors, few of whom have 

 any interest in the bird itself or know anything of its haunts. 

 To all appearance there must be wealthy private collectors 

 who wish to acquire a large series of the eggs of this vanish- 

 ing species, probably with the idea of their value being much 

 enhanced when the bird itself has finally vanished. Some 

 ten years since the thanks of the Zoological Society of London 

 were conveyed to a number of naturalists in mid-Wales for 

 their efforts to protect the Kite. Several farmers and shep- 

 herds also do their best, in spite of the large bribes which are 

 offered. But such attempts at protection are very rarely 

 successful. The egg-stealers watch their chance, come at 

 earliest daylight or (as in a recent instance) while the farmer 

 is at church. It is hoped that the B. O. C. will issue an 

 appeal, asking naturalists to refrain from buying British- 

 taken eggs of the Kite. If the members would also give 



