22 BIRD WATCHING 



Another salient feature is the varied direction of their 

 flight, for though this is in wide, spacious circles 

 around their chosen home, yet within this free limit 

 they set their sails to all points of the compass, veering 

 from one to another with so joyous a motion, each 

 change seems an ecstasy — as indeed it is to behold. 

 Their mode of alighting on the ground after flight is 

 very pretty, for they do so as if they meant to con- 

 tinue flying. Sometimes the wings are still raised, 

 still make their little spear-points in the air as they 

 softly stop ; or the bird will hold them drooped and 

 but half- spread, and skim like this, just above the 

 ground. At once he is on it, but there has been no 

 jerk, no pause. He has been smooth in abruptness : 

 settling suddenly, there has been no sudden motion. 

 These things are as magic, — they are, and yet they 

 cannot be. It is a contradiction, yet it has taken 

 place. 



In formal courtship on the ground "the male ap- 

 proaches the female with head and neck drawn up 

 above the usual height, so that he presents for her 

 consideration a broader and fuller frontage of throat 

 and breast than upon ordinary occasions. He does 

 not raise or otherwise disport with his wings, but 

 through the glasses one can see that his little legs 

 — which now that he is more upright are less invisible 

 — are being moved in a rapid vibratory manner, whilst 

 he himself seems to be trembling, quivering with ex- 

 citement. The motion of the legs does not belong 

 to the gait, for the bird stands still whilst making it, 

 and then advances a few steps at a time, with little 

 pauses between each advance, during which the legs 

 are quivered." The legs of the ringed plover are of 



