KITE. 
“ 26th. The weather was fearfully hot, and, where the eool breeze was excluded by the denseness ole 
timber, the persistent attacks of the midges were almost unbearable. TV Into wo were advancu^ owmds their 
quarters, the Kites did not seem by any means shy; and just before we reached the nest, on o th m saUed 
over our heads, apparently within range. In hopes of a shot, I steadied myself against a rock (the g.ound 
excessively steep and, owing to the dry weather and total absence of herbage, was slippery as glass) and awaited 
its approach on the following circle. The next time it was hardly so close ; but when I fired it fell as il deal , 
into the top of a fir, and then giving a flap or two with its wings, freed iiself from the branches, and went o\ or 
the precipice into the gorge below. When the bird struck the tree I did not fire the second barrel, as it was 
within twenty yards, and would have been blown to pieces. Expecting but little trouble to find it, we turned 
back, as the rocks just below were almost perpendicular, and made the best of our way to the spot where it 
appeared to have lodged. While descending the rocks, a couple of dogs we had with us started two fox-cubs 
from a cairn, and this caused an interruption that hindered us for some time. At last we reached the bottom 
of the gorge, just below where we lost sight of the bird ; but, though we hunted for at least a couple of hours, 
we could find no trace of it, not even so much as a feather. The number of dead and decaying stems of trees, 
together with the cracks and crevices among the broken slabs ol rock and stone, rendered our search 
any thing but easy. 
“The remaining bird kept circling round at an immense height, and gave not the slightest signs ol. 
returning to the nest. As it seemed of little use waiting for a shot at the present time, we retired to a bothy 
on the opposite side of the gorge, from which, with the glasses, we could overlook nearly the whole of both 
sides of the glen. Here we resolved to make ourselves comfortable till about midnight, when I settled to 
crawl as near the nest as possible, and then wait till daybreak for a chance of a shot. Shortly before dusk we 
observed the remaining old bird pitch in a tree near the upper part of the wood, and, after shifting its position 
three or four times, we at length lost sight of it close to the nest. 
“ 27th. Soon after midnight I started from the bothy, and cautiously making my way down hill, I 
ascended the opposite side of the gorge, till I got some distance above the nest. Although we had previously 
marked a track by placing dead branches against the trees, I had no little difficulty in finding my way owing 
to the darkness. The night was perfectly still, without a breath of wind, and extra caution was needed as I 
drew near the spot to avoid making the slightest noise. At length, after a long and tedious crawl, I reached 
my station, about thirty or forty yards from the nest, and almost on the same level, as the tree on which it 
was placed stood lower down the hill. I could plainly make out the heads of the two young birds against the 
clear sky ; and, by the help of the glasses, I could see them snapping at the insects, which seemed a great 
annoyance to them. It was evident that the old bird was not near the nest ; and while slightly moving my 
position, so as to obtain a better view of the surrounding branches, I snapped a dead twig, and in an instant I 
noticed a dark shadow glide from the further side of the tree and immediately disappear from sight. As there 
was now but little chance that the bird would return for several hours, I called up the keepers, and we set a 
trap on the nest, making fast both of the young birds. Then leaving the glen, we did not revisit the spot till 
the mld,U6 0f the day ' 1,116,1 the tra P lvas sprang. As no food Pad been brought, and there were now no 
s,gns of the old one, I was of opinion that, owing to having been so much disturbed, it might have deserted the 
nest. We accordingly took the two young ones, and left the trap which we had previously set. 
1 dafere r d C ° nSideraUy “ Size; °“ c lvas almost fuMedged, while the other only showed 
about half its feathers just sprouting through the down. The eye was dark hazel, beak black, cere kino’s 
- - — israris :r zt'z : r 
