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some 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 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 ascend- 

 ing with ridiculous caution. All the gallinne 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 powerless wings, and make no dispatch ; 

 herons seem incumbered with too much sail for their light 

 bodies ; but these vast hollow wings are necessary in carry- 

 ing 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 them- 

 selves 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 wing in a toying and playful manner ; thus 

 the cock-snipe, while breeding, forgetting his former flight, 

 fans the air Hke the wind-hover ; and the green-finch 

 in particular exhibits such languishing and falterinn- 

 gestures as to appear like a wounded and dying bird ; the 

 king-fisher darts along like an arrow ; fern-owls, or goat- 

 suckers, glance in the dusk over the tops of trees like 

 a meteor : starlings as it were swim along, while missel- 

 thrushes use a wild and desultory flight ; swallows sweep 

 over the surface of the ground and water, and distinguish 

 themselves by rapid turns and quick evolutions; swifts 

 dash round in circles ; and the bank-martin moves with 

 frequent vacillations like a butterfly. Most of the small 

 birds fly by jerks, rising and falling as they advance. 

 Most small birds hop ; but wagtails and larks walk, 

 moving their legs alternately. Skylarks rise and fall 

 perpendicularly as they sing : woodlarks hang poised in 

 the air ; and titlarks rise and fall in large curves, singing 

 in their descent. The white-throat uses odd jerks and 



