192 



BUrriSH BIRDS. 



UNEQUAL WING-STROKES IN FLIGHT. 

 With reference to Mr. Seaby's note {antea, p. 156) concerning 

 my photographs {antea, pp. 115-116), in Figure 1 the bird's 



body may be tilted, 

 it is obvious that the 

 wings are not balancing 

 one another. In Figure 

 3, whatever illusions 

 perspective may be 

 responsible for, it is 

 nevertheless clear that 

 the right wing is held 

 more back, so that its 

 under- surface is pre- 

 sented to the spectator, 

 whereas the left wing 

 shows him its front 

 edge. Besides this, the 

 left wing is more 

 FIG. l.-YOUNG GULL. straightened out. 



In the Aeronautical Journal for April last is a photograph 

 of mine showing a Pigeon taking unmistakably unequal 

 strokes. The two photo- 

 graphs accompanying this 

 also supply good evidence. 

 Fig. 1 is a young Gull ; 

 the right wing is bent at 

 a right angle, while the 

 left is held straight, or 

 almost so, at the wrist- 

 joint. Fig. 2 is a figure 

 of a Pigeon alighting, and 

 the conspicuous difference 

 in the positions of the 

 wings cannot be accounted 

 for by any trick of per- 

 spective. I may add that 

 I have other photographs 

 that make the pomt clear. Unfortunately two of the most 

 convincing were not sufficiently in focus for reproduction. 



F. W. Headley. 



Blackbirds and Song-Thrushes Nesting on the 

 Ground. — Several correspondents have sent us notes on this 

 subject, but, as has been pointed out, the habit is by no means 

 a rare one. Mr. W. S. M. D'Urban, however, assures us that 



FIG. 2. PIGEON ALIGHTING. 



