THE KITE. 
71 
remarks, however, what we should hardly have expected, that 
“ these birds are so common as to need no particular description.” 
But when the country was more richly wooded, and less populous 
than at present, it was much better circumstanced for the kite. 
With the exception of its being stated to have been seen by the 
Eev. Joseph Stopford, near Blarney, and at Ballincollig Castle, in 
1827,* it is now unknown, not only in the county of Cork, but 
in the whole south of Ireland. A native bird, either in a wild 
state, or preserved in a collection, has not come either under my 
own cognizance, or that of any of my ornithological correspondents; 
but I have no doubt of the species having been seen in the follow- 
ing instances, as communicated to the Annals of Natural History, 
in April, 1838. Mr. Adams, the intelligent gamekeeper at 
Shane’s Castle (the seat of Earl O’Neil, on the borders of Lough 
Neagh), informed me, that “in cold weather,” about eight years 
before that period, he had seen a kite on two or three occasions, 
hovering over Glenarm Park (Antrim) ; and that in March, 1835, 
his attention was called to a strange bird, which appeared for three 
successive days in Shane’s Castle park, that proved to be of this 
species. In both instances, the forked tail served for specific 
distinction : — neither bird was obtained. My informant knew the 
species well, from having taken it frequently in Northamptonshire: 
he described it accurately to me. I had before heard from an 
old gamekeeper, who had lived for many years at Shane’s Castle, 
of a few kites “ with tails forked like swallows” having been 
killed there My friend, William Ogilby, Esq., in one instance, 
many years ago, saw this species iu the county of Londonderry. 
Mr. Bichard Langtry, when at Loch Awe in Argyleshire, early 
in the summer of 1833, procured from the nest two young kites, 
which proved a highly interesting addition to his aviary. They 
at once became very tame and familiar, and were so gentle in dis- 
. position as to be most engaging. Every morning they had their 
liberty, and never flew far away, but soaring to a great height in 
the air, “ in still repeated circles,” displayed their peculiar and 
graceful flight. To either lure or “ fist ” they always returned 
* Communicated by that gentleman to Dr. Harvey of Cork. 
