remainder cross to Europe in March, returning in October ; a few, however, stay throughout 

 the winter." It inhabits the Canaries and Madeira; and Dr. C. Bolle writes (J. f. O. 1857, 

 p. 270) that it is so common at Teneriffe that it may be seen always and everywhere, and even 

 stragglers are to be met with on the Cumbre and in the Canadas of the Teyde, on the level 

 ground near the Peak. He also observed it on the Llano de Maja, and adds that it is just as 

 common at Gran Canaria and Ferro. Dr. H. Dohrn also met with it at the Cape-Verds, and 

 obtained several specimens in the northern portions of those islands. 



In its habits the Kite more resembles the Buzzard than any other of the birds of prey. 

 Though a strong bird on the wing, it is not swift ; and I have usually seen it flying, or rather 

 sailing, in circles with outstretched, almost motionless wings, its tail alone being used, like the 

 rudder of a ship, to guide its motions. It flies at a great altitude, often almost out of sight ; 

 and I have rarely seen one sitting on a tree, but usually circling about in the open country in 

 search of prey. It is a heavy, rather sluggish bird, ignoble in its habits, and by no means gifted 

 with much courage ; indeed a hen will sometimes be a match for it, and able to drive it away 

 from her brood ; but as a rule it is a terrible scourage to any poultry-yard near which it may have 

 its habitation, and will create great havoc amongst the young chickens, ducks, and geese. Being 

 too slow on the wing to catch small birds, it feeds entirely on young birds, small mammals, 

 young hares and rabbits, lizards, snakes, frogs, and larger insects, such as maybugs, grasshoppers, 

 &c, which it can procure without much exertion and difficulty. As a rule it is a silent bird, 

 and it is but seldom that its clear note heah, he, he, heah is heard ; and 1 have only heard it 

 uttered when on a fine clear day, early in the breeding-season, I have seen this elegant bird 

 circling above the grove where its nest was placed. It is usually seen in the open country, or 

 where groves are studded about in the otherwise open country, either where it is flat or amongst 

 undulating or slightly hilly ground ; but out of the breeding-season it seems to affect the open 

 country, even where there is scarcely any wood. 



Early in the spring, immediately after its arrival from the south, it selects a place for the 

 purpose of nidification, this latter being usually a large non-evergreen tree either in a dense 

 forest or else in a grove. The nest, which is usually placed near the stem or on a large branch 

 at some altitude from the ground, is large and rather flat in shape, constructed of dried sticks 

 and lined with wool, straws, moss, or any old rags it can pick up. Mr. Robert Gray, describing 

 a nest in Kenmore Wood, on the banks of Loch Lomond, says that " the materials of which it 

 was built would have almost suggested the idea of the birds having robbed some wandering 

 gabeiiunzie of the contents of his wardrobe — a pair of ragged trousers, worn stockings, and part 

 of an old shirt (the latter flapping on the tree-top like an old worn banner) being among the 

 articles." Mr. Benzon, writing to me respecting its breeding-habits in Denmark, says : — " It 

 usually places its nest in some large forest-tree at a greater altitude ; and the nest is more difficult 

 of access than that of the Buzzard, which it much resembles in general external appearance, 

 being constructed of rough twigs and small boughs ; but it is larger and flatter, and the interior 

 lining, besides consisting of grass and grass-roots, is, to a large extent, made up of a mixture of 

 all sorts of odds and ends, newspapers and cloth forming a considerable portion. I saw a nest 

 in Seeland on the 28th April, 1864, which was well lined with newspaper, and from which 

 waved Jike a white flag a little window-curtain which it had carried off from the window of a 



