NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 233 



LETTER XLII. 



"Omnibus animalibus reliquis certus et uniusmodi, et in suo cuique genere 

 incessus est : aves solae vario meatu feruntur, et in terra, et in acre." 



SELBORNE, Aug. *]th, 1778. 



DEAR SIR, A good ornithologist should be able to distinguish 

 birds by their air as well as by their colours and shape ; on the 

 ground as well as on the wing : and in the bush as well as in the 

 hand. For, though it must not be said that every species of 

 birds has a manner peculiar to itself, yet there is somewhat in 

 most genera at least, that at first sight discriminates them, and 

 enables a judicious observer to pronounce upon them with some 

 certainty. Put a bird in motion 



" Et vera incessu patuit " 



Thus kites and buzzards sail round in circles with wings ex- 

 panded and motionless ; and it is from their gliding manner that 

 the former are still called in the north of England gleads, from 

 the Saxon verb glidan, to glide. The kestrel, or wind- hover, has 

 a peculiar mode of hanging in the air in one place, his wings all 

 the while being briskly agitated. Hen-harriers fly low over heaths 

 or fields of corn, and beat the ground regularly like a pointer or 

 setting-dog. Owls move in a buoyant manner, as if lighter than 

 the air ; they seem to want ballast. There is a peculiarity be- 

 longing to ravens that must draw the attention even of the most 

 incurious they spend all their leisure time in striking and cuffing 

 each other on the wing in a kind of playful skirmish ; and, when 

 they move from one place to another, frequently turn on their 

 backs with a loud croak, and seem to be falling to the ground. 

 When this odd gesture betides them, they are scratching them- 

 selves with one foot, and thus lose the centre of gravity. Rooks 

 sometimes dive and tumble in a frolicksome manner ; crows and 

 daws swagger in their walk ; wood-peckers fly volatu undoso, 

 opening and closing their wings at every stroke, and so are always 

 rising or falling in curves. All of this genus use their tails, which 



