Song Birds and Water Fowl 
displayed in land birds, from the humming-bird 
up to the eagle, have been taken into account, 
interesting and significant as these variations 
are, the resemblance of them all becomes 
absolutely monotonous, in comparison with the 
numerous and broadly distinctive forms of 
water fowl. And this variety of form is their 
least merit, as compared with the terrestrial 
group. 
In poetry of pose and motion, the advantage 
is strongly with the water fowl, many of which 
are in this respect quite unequalled by any of 
the land species, except some of the birds of 
prey. What could be more beautiful, for in- 
stance, than a flock of terns, disporting with 
consummate grace upon the wing in intricate 
convolutions ; or the various gulls, winnowing 
their languorous course on willowy wings ; or, 
among the more aquatic species, the slow 
majestic sailing of the stately swan? ‘There is 
nothing in all the earth so airy, graceful, thrill- 
ing, as the sea-bird in its flight—the denizen of 
two contiguous and opposing deeps. Or, again, 
observe the dainty motions of the piping plover 
running on the beach, or the heron’s lordly air 
of solitude, when standing motionless. One’s 
thoughts will run in quite a different channel, 
54 
