i6o Our Bird Friends. 



yet two birds never appear to have selected the 

 same spot to settle upon when they suddenly drop 

 from the air for a rest. Of course, they do occa- 

 sionally make errors of judgment ; for even such a 

 sharp-eyed, swift-winged bird as a Swallow is struck 

 down by a golf ball ; and I remember once accident- 

 ally felling one to the ground whilst making a 

 cast for Trout with a fly- rod. A curious instance 

 of speed miscalculation by a Swallow happened to 

 a gentleman of my accpiaintance in Westnrorland 

 last suuuuer. He was riding his bicycle along a 

 country road one day when he noticed a Swallow 

 attempt to cross his path dangerously close in front 

 of him, and instantly heard a curious rustling noise. 

 Jumping off his machine, he was sorry to find 

 the unfortunate l»ird rutlled and dead amongst the 

 spokes of his front wheel. Partridges, too, are 

 guilty of making the same kind of mistakes, and 

 by attempting to cross the line in front of a train 

 in motion sometimes get knocked down and killed 

 by the engine. 



The size, shape, and texture of a birds tail 

 feathers have a great deal to do with its mode and 

 powers of flight. Tails are capable of being ex- 

 panded or closed, elevated or depressed, and they 

 more or less act as rudders to their wearers. 

 Where the wings and tail arc both ample, as in 

 the case of a Sparrow Hawk, the flight is easy and 

 graceful ; Avhere the tail is short and the wings 

 fairly long and vigorous — as in the Snipe, for 



