Mil. J. H. GURNEY ON THE ORNITHOLOGY OF SWITZERLAND. 261 
The top of a “ Diabeyha ” mast if flat, is rather a favourite perch 
for a Kite to carry prey to, and was so it seems four thousand years 
ago, for Sir G. Wilkinson gives a representation of a Kile boat, 
and on the mast a Kite (‘ Ancient Egyptians,’ vol. iii. p. 37). In the 
mountains, away from the river, they naturally prey largely on 
reptiles, and may often be seen on the wing with wriggling Snakes 
and Lizards, tight in their talons, and though flying they have the 
adroitness to deliver into their mouth the food which they hold in 
one foot. One shot had surfeited on Locusts, having come across 
a flight of them evidently, and stuffed itself with these delicacies. 
Unclean, as one knows the Kite to be, there is something undeniably 
exquisite about its slow sailing flight, with pinions which seem to 
be almost motionless, and widespread rudder-like tail. This sort of 
bird, says the observant Pliny, seems to have taught men the art of 
steering a ship by the turning of their tails, nature showing in the 
air what was needful to be done in the deep, and man could have 
had no better model. Pliny served his first military campaign in 
Africa, and must have been familiar enough with them. During 
winter, Kites are rather shy in Lower Egypt, except near towns, 
but as spring draws on, they, like other birds, think about 
making a nest. Indeed, a few take the trouble to nest twice or 
thrice, and the noise of young being fed may occasionally be heard 
in January. Their nests are untidy fabrics, chiefly sticks and rags, 
and perhaps a bit of paper, put together anything but neatly, 
generally in trees, sometimes in cliffs, or even on houses. The 
eggs are white, blotched with rufous at the large end, measuring 
2 50 x l - 50, and Mr. E. C. Taylor says two is the complement. 
On the lofty cliffs of Gebel-Abou-Foeder on the Kile, they nest in 
company with the Griffon Vulture and the Egyptian Goose, but 
the latter breed at a lower elevation than the Kites. They also nest 
on the Pyramids, and the tombs of the Caliphs, and even on the 
trees in the public gardens in Cairo, where in 1896 I understand 
they were still as common as ever, and as much at home. 
To give the Yellow-billed Kites credit for one cleanly habit, they 
may be seen at times standing in the water and enjoying a good 
wash. They are often on the sandbanks left by the great river, 
perhaps on the look-out for a dead fish, perhaps resting awhile with 
crops distended with the last meal. It is not usual to see many 
together, but there was one big flock in a high wind at Minieh, 
