BIRDS. 



197 



I have, however, been told that another cause may have been the 

 true one for the disappearance of the nesting Kites in our area, viz. 

 the severe gales which levelled so much fine old timber in that and 

 other districts throughout Perth and Strathmore, and destroying 

 their favourite trees on which their nests were placed. At all events 

 none have been seen since at the old nesting haunts, though I have 

 heard vague reports of " Gleds " from some sources. 



In the west I had vague reports of their nesting in Eannoch, but 

 I have never been able to verify these statements. This was in 1874 ; 

 nor have I any satisfactory accounts since from any part of the west 

 or south-west. 



From the latter I had very detailed accounts of Kites nesting in 

 a secluded position, but investigation again revealed that in every 

 case the name " Gled" had been wTongly applied to Buzzards, which 

 are abundant on the stretch of country referred to in my corre- 

 spondents' accounts, some six or eight pairs indeed nesting in the 

 gullies and rocks and by the steep sides of watercourses. 



I have never seen the true Kite anywhere within the bounds of 

 Tay, but I have seen it close to these borders (in Forth), once at 

 close range, and had I been carrying a gun I could have easily shot 

 it, as it was quite tame. It was on a Sunday, which was lucky for 

 the bird, because at that period of my existence I am afraid the 

 temptation would have proved too much for me ! That would be in 

 the years of the early sixties. At that time I carried a gun every 

 day in the week except Sunday, and sometimes wished I had a gun 

 that day as well ! 



I conclude this somewhat "bare account of empty benches " with 

 an early record of the Kite in the east of Fife supplied by my friend 

 Col. H."^AY. Feilden {Annals Scot Nat. Hist, 1900, p. 49), as follows :— 



Col. Feilden placed in my hands an interesting old letter which, 

 among other items, contains an early record of the Kite in the county 

 of Fife. The letter is dated from Cambo House, 22nd August 1844, 

 and over the signature of the present baronet, Wm. Leyland Feilden, 

 who at the time he wrote it was nine years old. Col. Feilden 

 adds that : "There is no question about the correct identification of 

 the bird, for it was stuffed, and was for years after in my father's 

 collection." The passage in the letter is a short one, and as follows : 

 "James shot a very fine Kite the other day; he had set about 

 a dozen traps for it, and at last he shot it." Col. Feilden adds : 

 "James, who shot the Kite, was James Forrester, the gamekeeper 

 at Cambo House, Fifeshire." 



Of another old record I have the following also from Col. H. W. 



