THE KITE. 143 



and whip the object of experiment out of his hand 

 before he can say whatever he is in the habit of 

 saying on occasions of unpleasant surprise. " There's 

 many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip " was once 

 admirably exemplified to me by a Kite. I was im- 

 prudently drinking tea in the open when I felt a flap 

 on my nose, and the cup was rudely dashed to the 

 ground — but I never saw the Kite ; nor is this the only 

 occasion on which a Kite burglariously attacked me — 

 in fact, I kept always ready for them' latterly. Their 

 dexterity is something marvellous ; never have I 

 been scratched by their talons, though I have had 

 bread snatched out of my very hand. It is this 

 wonderful management of wing and foot that makes 

 the Kite in spite of his shabby brown plumage and 

 general appearance as of a small eagle run to seed, 

 such a beautiful and interesting bird to watch at his 

 task of scavenging. Whatever his mark is, he 

 always takes it with his feet and holding it therein, 

 he will, if the object be small enough and his com- 

 panions do not interfere, dine on it in mid-air. So 

 rooted is this habit that when he is making a light 

 supper on the delicious and succulent white-ant as 

 it swarms, he ceremoniously seizes even this minute 

 prey in one foot instead of snapping it up with his 

 1)111. The only time he breaks his rule of " feet 

 before bill " is when he is carrying sticks for his nest. 



