136 BIRD WATCHING 



For all these things do the rooks, and yet their ordinary 

 flight is of a heavy and plodding character. One very 

 peculiar antic, or " trick i' the air," the raven certainly 

 has. Whilst flapping steadily along with regular, 

 though quick beat of the wings, it closes these all at 

 once, quite tightly, as though it were on the ground, 

 and immediately rolls over to one side or the other. 

 Either the roll is complete, so that the bird comes 

 right round again into its former position, or else, 

 having got only so far as to be back downwards, it 

 rolls back the reverse way. This has a most extra- 

 ordinary appearance. The bird is stretched horizon- 

 tally in the position in which it has just been flying, 

 and in rolling over makes one think of a barrel or a 

 man rolling on the ground. Being in the air, how- 

 ever, it may, by dropping a little as it rolls, make 

 less, or, possibly, no progress in a latitudinal direction, 

 though whether this is the case or not I am not 

 sure. 



To watch this curious action through the glasses 

 is most interesting. Each time there is a perceptible 

 second or two during which the bird remains com- 

 pletely reversed, back to earth and breast to sky. 

 The appearance presented is equally extraordinary, 

 whether it makes the half roll and returns, or goes 

 completely round. I have sometimes seen rooks make 

 a turn over in the air, but this was more a disorderly 

 tumble, recalling that of the peewit, and, though 

 striking enough, was not nearly so extraordinary as 

 this orderly and methodical, almost sedate, turning 

 upside down. The feat is generally performed four 

 or five times in succession, at intervals of some seconds, 

 during which the steady flight is continued. Most 



