BIRDS OF NEW YORK 69 



down in the same place where he went up and lit on the same tree. He sat 

 there 7 minutes this time, when up he went again straight out of sight. 

 This time he was gone 51 minutes. I had about given him up and turned 

 to go to the house when 1 saw him coming down again and another one 

 with him. They lit on the same tree. I started for them and one started 

 up again out of sight. He went in a flash. The other sat still. I walked 

 on a short distance farther, when up he went and I fired at him. He 

 folded his wings and came down. From where I stood to where the kite 

 lay was 17 rods, 3 feet. I watched for the other one, but did not see him 

 again that day; but I have seen him once since, yesterday, the 29th. . . . 

 I shot the kite on the i6th of July, 10.30 o'clock, a. m. 



" I live near a big timber lot of about 500 acres, and about a mile 

 from my house is a large ash swamp of as much more, with quite a body 

 of water in the center." 



Under date of August 3, 1886: " I will get the mate to this bird (the 

 mounted kite), and will send it to you gratis. I am watching him and his 

 manouvering and actions and learning a little something of his habits. 

 His roosting spot is in the large swamp west of me." 



Under date of August 9, 1886, Mr Haight writes: " I shot this bird 

 (a great blue heron) whUe hunting for the kite in the big swamp. I saw 

 him today several times. The last time that I saw him he was dissecting 

 a hornets' nest and sat on the top of a dead stub out in the water, so I could 

 not get a shot at him. I am going to give him another trial tomorrow if 

 the day is cloudy. A clear day is not a good time to hunt him. He is 

 a third larger than the other kite I sent you, and I think there are more 

 in the swamp. I could see some birds in the dead ashes that looked like 

 them and moved around like a kite." Evidently, from its size, this kite 

 was a female and was probably the mate of the male secured on July i6th. 

 The birds seen among the ashes in the swamp may have been their young^ 



Under date of July 17, 1891, Mr Haight writes: "We are watching 

 the kite very closely. It seems to alight in the top of the tallest trees in 

 the woods. It lit on the side hill a short ways from the house today, and 



