KITE. 
37 
to England some four hundred years ago, supposes that 
the word 4 Milvi,’ in Schassek’s Journal, must have been 
a mistake for 4 cygni,’ as London had always been cele¬ 
brated for swans ; but other old writers leave no room for 
doubt that the Kite was the most familiar bird with the 
citizens of old London. Ilow few of the persons who see 
the paper toys hovering over the parks on fine days of 
summer, have any idea that the bird from which they 
derive their name used to float all day in hot weather 
high over the heads of their ancestors! They were 
resident in England all the year, whilst in Italy and 
Greece they entirely disappeared during the winter, and 
were looked upon as the harbingers of spring.” 
In the Zoological Gardens last year a pair of Kites 
made their nest upon the ground, in the corner of their 
cage, and the female sat for a long time very seduously 
upon her eggs. 
The Kite builds its nest in the fork of a large tree. It 
is composed of sticks, lined with dry grass, wool, and 
other soft materials. It lays three or four eggs, which do 
not greatly vary ; but in some of their varieties are not to 
be distinguished from eggs of the common buzzard, by 
which they are represented in the collections of those 
who take them upon the authority of a dealer. 
Mr. Walter has some beautiful eggs of this species; 
one closely covered all over with light rufous blotches ; 
another with beautiful tints of lilac and purple, relieved 
with brown. 
