* * * * * Somerville, in “Field Sports,” gives some fine lines, descriptive of this bird, untamed though we call it, as one of sport: “In earlier times, monarchs of Eastern race In their full blaze of pride--a story tells-- Trained up th’ imperial eagle, sacred bird. Hooded, with jingling bells, she, perched on high, Not, as when erst on golden wings she led The Roman legions o’er the conquered globe, Mankind her quarry, but a docile slave, Tamed to the lure and careful to attend Her master’s voice.” This noble bird measures from 32 to 36 inches and the female is larger than the male. In reality he is about the size of a goose but his mighty wings and the breadth of tail make him seem far larger. The general colour is dark brown, tawny about the head and nape, hence his name golden. The tail has a greyish bar below, is mottled with dark grey in the adults, but the basal half is white in the young. The legs are feathered in front to the toes, thighs dark brown, toes yellow, claws hooked and sharp. The beak is curved from the cere. The brown eye is keen and strong as befits a bird who sights his quarry from afar. The nest, or eyrie, which is placed on a crag in a mountainous district, but often in a tree, is a large platform of sticks lined with softer materials. The Eagle never uses dead branches but always breaks them fresh off the tree. There are two and sometimes three dull greyish-white eggs streaked and blotched with every shade of reddish-brown and lilac. One of the eggs is generally addled. The young are covered with white down. During incubation the Eagle keeps near to his eyrie. [Illustration: HARMFUL. THE RED KITE.] THE RED KITE. (_Milvus ictínus._) The flight of this bird is very beautiful; it mounts in circles to a great height, but swoops down quite near to the ground when pursuing its prey. Its food consists of mice, lizards, adders, and unfledged birds; but most of all it likes poultry, hens, ducks, geese. In this way it is very hurtful. Fortunately, it is a cowardly bird, and a good clucking hen can soon put it to flight. In the spring when the flocks of geese with their young ones are grazing in the tender grass, the Red Kite will suddenly appear and cause great consternation among young and old. The poor bare-footed guardians of the geese, strive to drive the intruder away with shouts, or by waving rags, and throwing stones; and though they generally succeed, the bird occasionally gains the day. This bird is nowhere very common, and is in any case only a summer visitor. Its cry is a shrill _whéw, heh-heh-heh_. * * * * *