SIDE LIGHTS ON BIRDS 



" E'en thus rhe waterfowl ; when she perceives 

 The falcon near, dives instant down, while he 

 Enraged and spent retires." 



The true falcon, of which the peregrine is the 

 type, is a bird of long wings, which give it re- 

 markable power in the air : the goshawk has com- 

 paratively short wings, but commends itself 

 to the falconer by its exceptional strength and 

 ferocity that enable it to cope with quarry much 

 larger than itself. This fact was known to Dante. 

 What appears to be an unequal fray is described : 



• ' But the other proved 

 A goshawk able to rend well its prey." 



In a beautiful passage we read : — 



" Know ye not 

 That we are worms yet made at last to form 

 The winged insect imp'd with angel plimies." 



To " imp " is to supply missing wing feathers, 

 and it is interesting to find this old falconer's 

 term applied to the pinions of those about to 

 ascend to Paradise. 



The stoop of a bird of prey is thus shown : — 



' ' A golden feathered eagle in the sky. 

 With open wings and hovering for descent : 

 A little wheeUng in his aery tour. 

 Then, terrible as lightning, rushed he down." 



The poet's observations of waterfowl are in- 

 variably true to life. The fact that wild geese 

 and other species fly in a single line or in V-shaped 

 formation is now generally remarked upon, but 

 the fact that they rise in a mass and afterwards 

 rearrange themselves has never been more clearly 

 expressed than in the following lines : — 



' ' Like as the birds that winter near the Nile 



In squared regiments direct their course. 



Then stretch themselves in file for speedier flight." 



