124 THE FLIGHT OF BIRDS 
start much more than small birds. I have twice 
seen Snipe, if not, sSfictly speaking, rise, yet begin 
horizontal flight with the wind behind them. This 
shows what a good start a bird that has strong and 
fairly long legs gets from his first jump forward and 
upward from the ground. Things are very different 
with a Swift or a Puffin, owing to the shortness and 
feebleness of their legs, or such a bird as the Condor, 
that has no room when he is starting for the full 
sweep of his great wings. It is bad starters like 
these that are in difficulties when there is no wind to 
help them.* 
Flight with the Wind. 
I have already pointed out that Homing Pigeons 
make their best “‘ times ’’ when there is a fair breeze 
blowing in the direction of their flight. And for 
all birds that fly, not only for Pigeons, there is 
every reason to believe that a tail-wind means rapid 
travelling. But what if the wind bea gale? Some- 
how or other an idea has grown up that birds cannot 
fly, or at least do not like flying, with a gale blowing 
from behind them. It is curious how hard it is to 
get actual positive evidence for or against. Can we 
find competent observers who have seen birds racing 
before a regular gale ? And who has seen anything 
from which we may reasonably infer that a gale from 
behind is an abomination to them? Some people 
are satisfied that they have settled this question by 
remarking that “‘ it would, of course, ruffle up their 
feathers, and it is an undoubted fact that birds 
* If there is anything of a wind, a bird, if flying with it, always 
wheels round and faces it when he alights, and the prudent 
aviator follows his example. 
