BIRDS ON THE WING. 



Every student ylionld learn to identify the birds 

 on the wing as well as " in the busli." The flight 

 of these citizens of the air is a most interesting 

 study, and will amply repay all the attention given 

 to it. Even the most careless observer cannot have 

 failed to notice that birds of different species do 

 not behave in the same way while propelling 

 themselves through the air. Some spread out 

 their wings and sail gracefully overhead, like the 

 hawks and buzzards, while others keep their pin- 

 ions in constant motion ; some sweep onward with 

 long, leisurely wing-strokes, and others beat the 

 air very rapidly. 



But let us speak more specifically of the flight of 

 various families and species. There are the wood- 

 peckers. Observe that redhead beating across the 

 clover field to the distant woodland. He goes by 

 plunges and not with uniform velocity. Now he 

 presses his wings close to his sides as he darts for- 

 ward like an arrow, then he quickly spreads his 



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