48 
THE KITE. 
with brown, and the pinions of the wings are brownish-black. The beak and claws are black, 
and the cere yellow. The habits of this bird are very like those of the common Buzzard, 
excepting that it is even more sluggish and lazy in its movements. 
In the Honey Buzzard we find a singular instance of a predaceous bird, endowed with 
many capabilities of catching and destroying the ordinary kinds of game, yet preferring to 
feast upon insect food in preference to the flesh of quadrupeds or birds. 
The Honey Buzzard does not, however, restrict itself solely to insect food, for it has often 
been observed to catch and devour birds and various quadrupeds. An instance of its preda- 
torial propensities is given by Mr. Watters, in his “ Birds of Ireland.” The Honey Buzzard 
had been seen for several successive summers haunting the same locality, and killing the coots 
HONEY-BUZZARD .— Pernu apivorus. 
that frequented a piece of water. A coot was therefore shot, poisoned with strychnine, and 
laid out as a bait for the Honey Buzzard, and on the next day the bird was found dead at 
some distance from the spot. When in confiement this bird will eat mice, rats, birds, meat, 
and similar articles of diet. 
• 
The Kite may be known, even on the wing, from all other British birds of prey, by its 
beautifully easy flight, and the long forked tail. Indeed, while flying, the Kite bears no 
small resemblance to a very large swallow, excepting that the flight is more gliding, and the 
wings are seldom flapped. 
Despite the ill savor into which the name of the Kite has fallen, it is really a magnificent 
specimen of the falconidse, and deserves its specific title of “regalis,” or regal, quite as much 
for its own merits as from the fact that it had once the very great honor to be chased by 
royalty. It seems that the later kings of France were in the habit of marking the Kite as the 
quarry which was specially suitable to their regal state, and w r ere accustomed to fly their 
hawks at Kites, instead of herons, as was usually the mode of procedure in the noble sport of 
falconry. The Kite is therefore termed regal, not on account of any innate royalty in the 
bird, but simply because royal personages chose to pursue it. 
