CHAPTER VI. 
STOPPING AND ALIGHTING. 
A bird alights without any jar. Let us imagine 
that when we first catch sight of him he is flying at 
some height above the ground. Wishing to descend, 
he will give his wings an upward slope and float down 
in the style usually preferred by Pigeons, or more 
probably he will slant his body, from tail to head, 
downwards and, partly flexing his wings, glide rapidly 
towards the earth. On nearing his landing place he 
will suddenly let his hind-quarters sink, and give 
his body an upward incline ; his wings, spread wide, 
present their whole under-surface to the air. This 
soon checks his momentum. But if he wants to 
make a very sudden stop he gives a stroke with his 
wings, and this, when the body is nearly upright, 
as a glance at one of the photographs (see Pl. x) 
that illustrate the process will show, must bring him 
at once to a standstill. And just after landing, 
perhaps (notably if he is a Tern, a Lapwing or a 
Pigeon) he will raise his wings high above his head 
as if to stretch and refresh the muscles, in which 
attitude he looks very beautiful. A beautiful thing, 
too, is the folding of the wings; it is all so quickly 
and so neatly done. A Tern or even a Pigeon when 
he alights has all the grace of the ‘‘ Herald Mercury, 
new lighted on a heaven-kissing hill.” 
