THE KITE'S NEST. 47 



pieces of paper, and a worsted garter. In the midst of 

 this singular collection of materials were deposited two 

 eggs. The kite is now almost extinct in England, and a 

 kite's nest, of course, is a great rarity. The Rev. H. B. 

 Tristram, speaking of the habits of the Egyptian kite 

 (Milviis ALgyptius), says : *■ — " Its nest, the marine store- 

 shop of the desert, is decorated with whatever scraps of 

 bournouses and coloured rags can be collected ; and to 

 these are added, on every surrounding branch, the cast-off 

 coats of serpents, large scraps of thin bark, and perhaps 

 a bustard's wing.'' 



We have alluded to the Buzzard (Buteo vulgaris) in the 

 passage above quoted from Richard III., and also to the 

 synonym " puttock," which was sometimes applied to this 

 bird, as well as to the kite. 



Mr. St. John, who was well acquainted with the common 

 buzzard, thought that in all its habits it more nearly 

 resembled the eagle than any other kind of hawk.-f- 



In the following passage, it seems probable, as suggested 

 by Mr. Staunton, that a play upon the words is intended, 

 and that " buzzard " in the second line means a beetle, so 

 called from its buzzing noise : — 



" O slow-wing'd turtle ! shall a buzzard take thee ? 

 Ay, for a turtle, as he takes a buzzard." 



Taming of the Shreiv, Act ii. Sc. 1. 



* " The Great Sahara," p. 392. f " Tour in Sutherland," vol. i. p. 121. 



