KITE. 
9 
increased, we could plainly discern, by the swollen bums and the channels scoured across our track, how 
heavy had been the force of the storm. . . ,, , , 
“ Before we reached our journey’s end the sun was shining brightly; but on arriving at the lodge we 
learned that the tempest had been so severe in the early part of the night that the inmates had been half 
frightened to death, and had all retired to bed as being the safest place. 
“ 9 8t h The storm of the previous night had cooled the air, and the day was beautifully clear and fine. 
As I was expecting a hard night’s work, I rested during the day, and starting in the evening reached the 
bothy, where the keepers were waiting, by half-past eleven. Our walk through the forest to the nest was a 
contrast to the last time we passed over the ground. The night was lovely and the wind a trifle chilly, which, 
after the weather we had recently experienced, was by no means unpleasant. We reached the plantation in 
which the nest was placed soon after one o’clock; and, owing to the darkness, it was some little time before I 
was securely packed into my shelter and provided with all the rugs, waterproofs, provisions, and other 
necessaries (I had also a bottle of vinegar, by which I hoped to keep off the attacks of the midges, which was, 
however, an utter failure). By about half-past one my arrangements were all completed, and the men retired 
to their waiting-place in the burn. Owing to the shadows thrown by the trees, it was at first so dark that I 
could not even make out the whereabouts of the nest. Soon after two o’clock I discovered the young bird 
stretching himself and flapping his wings, having apparently just woke up. Half an hour later the old female 
pitched suddenly on one of the lower branches of a fir, within fifteen yards of my hiding-place ; she had in her 
talons a Peewit, which she partially plucked (every feather on her head being thrown up on end during the 
operation), and then flew to another branch about forty yards away ; here I could hardly watch her movements, 
owing to the denseness of the timber. After some time she disappeared without my noticing her departure. 
“ Nothing more was seen of either of the birds for about an hour, when the female again flew from 
a tree right over my head, and it is quite possible that she might have been sitting there the whole of the 
time. She then continued flying in circles over my head for more than three hours — at times sweeping down 
to within twenty yards of where I was concealed, and, after hovering for a second or two, evidently trying to 
make out what was amiss, shooting up to a great height and sailing round and round the wood till she 
gradually diminished the circles and again came to close quarters. Almost incessantly she kept uttering a 
most mournful cry, which ended in a long-drawn plaintive whistle. Till nearly seven o’clock I had seen but 
one bird, the female, easily recognized by her ragged plumage, a couple of feathers being deficient in one wing. 
She had as yet never attempted to settle to the young one; indeed, since her first appearance with the Peewit, 
which was soon dropped, she had no prey with her. I had been in no burry to fire, as I was certain that, by 
leaving my shelter while she was out of sight on one of her longer circles, I could, if I wished, at any time 
have an easy shot, and 1 was in hopes that the male might show himself. 
“ At Iast tlie attacks of the midges, which I had patiently endured for the last six or seven hours, became 
almost unbearable; and I was preparing to start from my hiding-place (from the interior I could only take a 
pot shot at the nest) when I recognized a slightly shriller scream, and, waiting a moment, a much finer bird 
passed over. 
“ He turned in an instant, and was back before I could get out ; the next time he passed out of si-lit 
he seemed to be sweeping further off; so creeping from under the boughs, I had ample time to get ready 
before he reappeared I could plainly see his shadow thrown through the upper branches of the trees before 
he came m view ; and as there was an open space round the nest, he afforded the easiest possible shot, and fell 
to tlr S ti n<i M “ • femalC ’ Wh ° WaS at the time at a S reat ^ight, immediately sailed away 
to the north without turning round to see what had happened to her mate or youn-.” 
This is the specimen from which the Plate of the adult male is taken. 
oidcied the men to come up if they heard a shot, and a very few minutes had elapsed before they 
