OF SELBORNE. 49 



mariner peculiar to itself, yet there is some- 

 what in most genera at least, that at first 

 sight discriminates them, and enables a ju- 

 dicious observer to pronounce upon them 

 with some certainty. Put a bird in motion 



Et veraincessu patuit 



Thus kites and buzzards sail round in 

 circles with wings expanded and motion- 

 less; 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 belonging 

 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 



VOL. JI. E 



