138 
KITES. 
and then revenges itself by killing and eating the fattest of 
its persecutors. 
Rapid as is the flight of these birds of prey, and accustomed 
as they are to pounce at once on their game, and if disap- 
pointed leave it, and continue their search elsewhere, they will 
at times follow a devoted bird for a length of time with great 
perseverance. Not long ago, some fishermen belonging to 
Newhaven, when about five miles from the Bass-rock, off the 
coast of Scotland, observed a Hawk in close pursuit of a 
small bird. Apparently exhausted by its numberless sudden 
turns, spiry circles, and various efforts to escape, it was just 
on the point of falling into the claws of its pursuer, when the 
fishermen gave a loud shout by way of frightening the Hawk, 
on which the little bird flew down for protection, and perched, 
quite exhausted, in the midst of them. It proved to he a fine 
Lark. The Hawk approached within a few yards of the boat, 
and after hovering about for a short time, turned his course 
towards the shore. 
The Glede or Kite was a well-known bird, and much 
oftener seen in former days, even in towns, as we have shown, 
than at present ; hut for some reason or other they are getting 
every year more scarce. Still they may now and then he 
observed soaring in wide circles over woods, easily distin- 
guished from other birds by their length of wing and forked 
tails. There is a very curious story told by a gentleman, of 
a strange manner in which not less than fifteen were caught 
at the same time : he says he remembers when a hoy, that 
several of them happened to he roosting on some lofty elm- 
trees in winter, when a fog came on, which, freezing as it fell, 
completely glued their feet to the houghs ; and they were all 
taken. The truth of this extraordinary anecdote has been 
often questioned by naturalists, who maintain that there is a 
sufficiency of internal warmth in a bird’s foot to thaw any 
moisture which might produce the effect above 'mentioned ; 
hut when we consider the power of sudden frosts, and the 
comparatively small circulation of blood in a bird’s claw, we 
see no reason to doubt the fact, which is in a great degree 
confirmed by some other instances of the effect of frost, of an 
