BLACK KITE. 83 



nowhere to be seen. They had ]n-obably deserted the locality in conse- 

 quence of Ulrich, the forester, haA'ing shot at the bird as she flew from the 

 nest the week before our visit. He probably wounded her. The nest was 

 about 45 feet from the ground, in a beech in the fork of one of the main 

 branches of the tree. It was an entirely new nest, built this year, rather 

 shallow, and perhaps three feet by two and a half, outside measurement. 

 It was built of sticks and lined with dead moss and a scrap or two of paper. 

 It was situated at the boundary of the estate where it joins Bismark's estate of 

 Varzin. The Bismark Platz, a clump of pines on a hill, looked down onto 

 the nest. On this hill Bismark once picnicked; and the path by the lake-side 

 under the nest is said to be a favourite walk of the great statesman. The 

 nest was empty; but the Black Kite is so much shyer than the Common Kite 

 that we thought she might have seen us and have flown away, though had 

 she been there we ought to have seen something of her mate on the lake. 



It is said that the Black Kite does not line its nest with rags; but this 

 statement is not correct, for Salvin, who met with this species very com- 

 monly when birds'-nesting in the Eastern Atlas, found its nest adorned with 

 pieces of the Arab burnous and lined with rags. He also states that its nest 

 is usually built amongst the roots of a tree growing out of the rocks. The 

 nest is often covered with fish-bones ; and, according to Dr. Holland, the 

 young are fed on reptiles and young birds. The Black Kite will also rob 

 the nests of other birds when it is bringing up its young. In Southern 

 Spain Saunders states that the Black Kite is quite a sociable bird, as many 

 as ten nests having been found in a small patch of the forest ; and the 

 same authority also states that colonies of Sparrows often take up their 

 quarters near its home. 



Goebel, who found many nests of the Black Kite in Southern Russia, 

 states that the nest is very small, and that very often the head and tail of 

 the sitting bird may be seen over each side of the nest. He also states 

 that, if the eggs are taken before the full complement has been laid, the 

 bird goes on laying, and will sit on the remainder ; and should her eggs 

 be taken, she lays again. He found fresh eggs during the last week in 

 April and the beginning of May. When the nest is approached the parent 

 birds will fly round the place uttering their cries. 



I am indebted to Capt. Verner for the following interesting notes 

 respecting this bird in the south of Spain : — "At Gibraltar I observed great 

 numbers of Black Kites flying northwards, in company with Egyptian Vul- 

 tures, Short-toed Eagles, Honey-Buzzards, and other birds, dui'ing the last 

 week in March, in the years 1877-8 and 9. In May 1879 I was on board 

 the Crown Prince of Austria's yacht on the Guadalquivir, and found the 

 Black Kite nesting in great numbers in the pine-woods on the north bank. 

 On the 26th I climbed up to several nests only to find them unfinished. 



g2 



