KITE. 5 
KITE. 
Mitvus tctinus, Sar. 
Pl. IL, fig. 2. 
Geogr. distr.—Western Palearctic region; wintering in 8. Europe 
and N. Africa: formerly common in Great Britain, but now almost 
extinct. 
Food.—Fish-refuse, reptiles, small birds and young of game birds 
and poultry, moles, mice, and rats. 
Nest.—Similar to that of a Buzzard but larger; rather flat, formed 
of rough twigs and small boughs, and lined with grass, roots, tow, 
cloth, rags, paper, &c. 
Position of nest.—On the forked branch of a tree at a considerable 
height from the ground. 
Number of eggs.—3-5; rarely more than 3. 
Time of nidification.—IV ; end of April. 
I once saw this bird circling over a poultry yard at 
Sittingbourne, in Kent, but probably it was not hungry, as 
it suddenly turned and soared away out of sight: when 
pressed by hunger the Kite has been known to be knocked 
down with a broom and killed, so intent was it upon its 
prey. 
Owing chiefly to the cutting down of woods and forests, 
which has done more to rid our country of interesting birds 
than can be remedied by any Wild Birds Protection Act, 
and (in a less measure) to the persecution it has suffered at 
the hands of farmers and gamekeepers, the Kite has been 
almost exterminated as a habitual breeder; it is, however, 
supposed still to hold its own in the counties of Aberdeen, 
Perth, and Inverness. 
‘‘ The Kite,” says Seebohm, “ may be easily distinguished 
upon the wing by its deeply-forked tail and the peculiar 
nature of its flight. For hours this bird will keep the air, 
sailing in slow circles without an apparent effort, with wings 
and tail expanded to their fullest extent, the latter ever and 
anon being twisted to assist it to describe its graceful curves. 
From this habit of sailing in the air the Kite has gained the 
almost universal name of ‘ Glead’—a corruption of the word 
‘glide,’ which aptly represents its beautiful aérial move- 
ments.” (Hist. Brit. Birds, vol. 1. pp. 75, 76). 
