FLIGHT OF BIRDS. 263 



in a buoyant manner, as if lighter than the air ; they 

 seem to want ballast. There is a peculiarity belong- 

 ing 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 themselves with one foot, and thus 

 lose the centre of gravity. Rooks sometimes dive 

 and tumble in a frolicsome manner*; crows and daws 

 swagger in their walk ; woodpeckers fly volatu undoso, 

 opening and closing their wings at every stroke, and 

 so are always rising and falling in curves. All of this 

 genus use their tails, which incline downward, as a 

 support while they run up trees. Parrots, like all 

 other hooked-clawed birds, walk awkwardly, and 

 make use of their bill as a third foot, climbing and 

 descending with ridiculous caution. All the gallince 

 parade and walk gracefully, and run nimbly ; but fly 

 with difficulty, with an impetuous whirring, and in a 

 straight line. Magpies and jays flutter with power- 

 less wings, and make no dispatch ; herons seem en- 

 cumbered with too much sail for their light bodies ; 

 but these vast hollow wings are necessary in carrying 

 burdens, such as large fishes, and the like ; pigeons, 

 and particularly the sort called smiters, have a way 

 of clashing their wings, the one against the other, 

 over their backs, with a loud snap ; another variety, 

 called tumblers, turn themselves over in the air. 

 Some birds have movements peculiar to the season of 

 love ; thus ring-doves, though strong and rapid at 

 other times, yet, in the spring, hang about on the 



* In some parts of Scotland, this is said and believed to be the 

 forerunner of stormy weather. W. J. 



