144 THE BIRDS OF CALCUTTA. 



at which time he may often be seen with his load ia 

 his beak. This seems a peculiarly senseless habit) 

 but it is quite possible that the Kite's idea is to have 

 his feet free for fighbing, for he relies on his talona 

 rather than his bill in this also. Everyone has seen 

 how, of two bickering Kites, the lower bird will turn 

 on his back to receive the swoop of the upper, till 

 with locked talons they go slowly spinning towards 

 the ground ; generally having sense enough to let go 

 before they reach it, however. On the ground the 

 Kite is not at home ; he walks in a stifE-legged fashion, 

 and gets under way with some difficulty, like most 

 long-wmged birds ; and as he wants a lot of room for 

 his evolutions, he has little use for trees, except to- 

 perch on the top of them. He seems, indeed, when 

 nesting, to favour buildings much more than the crow, 

 no doubt for this reason. 



I have not observed in the Kite's matrimonial 

 arrangement that refined delicacy which has been 

 alluded to in the case of the crow. Endearments and 

 presents seem to be at a discount, and the banns of 

 marriage are published abroad by an aggravation 

 of the ordinary virulent squealing which is to my 

 mind the Kite's worst fault as a town bird. 

 Ornamental, except in flight, he certainly is not, 

 though he seems to have an idea that he is suited 

 for mural decoration, judging from the way in which 



