STUDY X. 309 



even the vegetables, which are faftened down to 

 the earth, fiifceptible of it. Our plains prefent 

 frequent images of this, when the winds form, on 

 the meadow, or on the corn-field, a feries of undu- 

 lations, refembling the waves of the fea ; or when 

 they gently agitate, on the fides of the lofty 

 mountains, the towering tops of the trees, waving 

 them about in fegments of a circle. Mod birds 

 form portions of great circles as they play through 

 the airy expanfe, and feem to take pleafure in 

 tracing, as they fly, an infinite variety of curves 

 and fpiral motions. It is remarkable that Nature 

 has beftowed this agreeable ftyle of flying on 

 many of the inoffenfive fpecies of the feathered 

 race, not otherwife to be prized for the exquifite- 

 nefs of either their fong or their plumage. Such, 

 among others, is the flight of the fvvallow. 



The cafe is very different with refpecl to the 

 progreffive movements of ferocious or noxious ani- 

 mals. They advance leaping, fpringing, and join to 

 movements fometimes extremely flow, others vio- 

 lently rapid : this is obfervable in the motion of 

 the cat lying in wait to catch a moufe. Thofe of 

 the tiger are exaâ:ly fimilar, in his approaches 

 upon his prey. The fame difcordancy is obferv- 

 able in the flight of carnivorous birds. The fpe- 

 cies of owl called the grand-duke floats through 

 the midfl: of a tranquil flcy, as if the wind carried 



X q him 



