"FLIGHT or BIRDS. 



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

 use their tails, which incline downwards, 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 andjays flutter with powerless wings, 

 and make no dispatch ; herons * seem encumbered 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 wing in a toying and playful manner ; 

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

 flight, fans the air like a windhover ; and the greenfinch, in 

 particular, exhibits such languishing and faltering 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. Sky-larks rise and fall 

 perpendicularly as they sing ; woodlarks hang poised in the 

 air ; and tit-larks rise and fall in large curves, singing in 

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

 lations over the tops of hedges and bushes. All the duck 

 kind waddle ; divers and auks walk as if fettered, and stand 



* When herons sail over their nests, when disturbed from them, they use 

 their long legs as rudders in making their gyrations. They sometimes only 

 use one leg, at others both. In a straight flight the head rests between the 

 shoulders and the legs are extended together. ED. 



