IDENTIFYING BIRDS 39 



even before we can distinguish color. The use of 

 their wings by birds in flight varies very greatly. 

 The chimney swift moves its wings quite rapidly and 

 continuously, with intervals of gliding, and they are 

 shaped long and narrow throughout. The little hum- 

 mer has long narrow wings, but they are very tiny 

 and move so fast as to blur to the sight. The swal- 

 low's wings are pointed and broader at the base than 

 the swift's, nor do they move quite so fast or so irreg- 

 ularly. The nighthawk, " hawking " about over- 

 head, is larger, and the long wings have a noticeable 

 bend, with a white bar on each. The meadowlark, 

 with short, rounded wings, flutters and sails alter- 

 nately. The kingbird poises with rapidly quivering, 

 extended wings, as does the kingfisher, but when the 

 latter starts on, it proceeds with rather slower and 

 more decisive flappings. Most sparrows and finches 

 have a quick, continuous flight, with rapid wing-beats 

 in succession and short pauses, but some, like the gold- 

 finch, go by jerks, rising and falling in deep undula- 

 tions, usually calling as they fly, as though each jerk 

 forced air through the larynx. The woodpeckers 

 also have a wavy flight, but they are larger, and can 

 be readily distinguished. 



The warblers are slender little birds with a sort of 

 flickering flight. The cuckoos have a rather steady, 

 gliding progression, and a very noticeable length of 

 tail. The blue jay's long tail attracts notice, and he 

 progresses by a regular series of flappings. His rela- 

 tive, the crow, goes by a slow, regular series of sepa- 



