THE MISSISSIPPI KITE. 
75 
on the branch. I shot at it, but perhaps did not hit it, as it only opened and 
closed its wings, as if surprised. At the report of the gun, the old bird came, 
holding food in her claws. She perceived me, but alighted, and fed her 
young with great kindness. I shot at both, and again missed, or at least did 
not succeed, which might have happened from my having only small shot in 
my gun. The mother flew in silence, sailed over head just long enough to 
afford me time to reload, returned, and to my great surprise gently lifted her 
young, and sailing with it to another tree, about thirty yards distant, depo- 
sited it there. My feelings at that moment I cannot express. I wished I had 
not discovered the poor bird ; for who could have witnessed, without emotion, 
so striking an example of that affection which none but a mother can feel ; so 
daring an act, performed in the midst of smoke, in the presence of a dreaded 
and dangerous enemy. I followed, however, and brought both to the ground 
at one shot, so keen is the desire of possession ! 
The young had the head of a fawn-colour, but I took little more notice of 
it, depositing the two birds under a log, whence I intended to remove them 
on my return, for the purpose of drawing and describing them. I then 
proceeded on my excursion to a lake a few miles distant. On coming back, 
what was my mortification, when I found that some quadruped had devoured 
both ! My punishment was merited. 
The Mississippi Kite arrives in Lower Louisiana about the middle of 
April, in small parties of five or six, and confines itself to the borders of deep 
woods, or to those near plantations, not far from the shores of the rivers, 
lakes, or bayous. It never moves into the interior of the country, and in 
this respect resembles the Falco furcatus. Plantations lately cleared, and 
yet covered with tall dying girted trees, placed near a creek or bayou, 
seem to suit it best. 
Its flight is graceful, vigorous, protracted, and often extended to a great 
height, the Fork-tailed Hawk being the only species that can compete with 
it. At times it floats in the air, as if motionless, or sails in broad regular 
circles, when, suddenly closing its wings, it slides along to some distance, 
and renews its curves. Now it sweeps in deep and long undulations, with 
the swiftness of an arrow, passing almost within touching distance of a branch 
on which it has observed a small lizard, or an insect it longs for, but from 
which it again ascends disappointed. Now it is seen to move in hurried 
zig-zags, as if pursued by a dangerous enemy, sometimes seeming to turn 
over and over like a Tumbling Pigeon. Again it is observed flying round 
the trunk of a tree to secure large insects, sweeping with astonishing velocity. 
While travelling-, it moves in the desultory manner followed by Swallows ; 
but at other times it is seen soaring at a great elevation among the large 
flocks of Carrion Crows and Turkey-Buzzards, joined by the Fork-tailed 
