150 FIELD-STUDIES OF RARER BIRDS 



after the fashion of the Raven, righting herself 

 the moment the normal position is recovered. 

 Sometimes, too, she swings over abruptly from 

 side to side, at the end of each stroke momentarily 

 holding herself sideways on in mid-air. 



At other times a pair frolic close to their nest. 

 The male, half shutting his pinions, flies and glides 

 along, looking like an anchor; or, still with half- 

 shut wings, he may hang stationary with tail held 

 strangely erect, and again sometimes he rolls over 

 curiously in the air. By way of variety he rushes 

 at his wife playfully, though more often she rushes 

 at him, not, however, with tightly shut wings, but 

 with sweeping, inverted arcs and her normal mode 

 of progression. Then perhaps she rises to a great 

 height and soars (usually Harriers, even when 

 playing, keep fairly low), when the tips of her 

 wings assume a sickle-shaped appearance; or else 

 she floats and drifts in small circles. Suddenly 

 she sinks lower, moving with stroke and glide, 

 or dives excitedly up and down, yet never pressing 

 her wings to her body. Lower she slants and 

 lower, still " switchbacking, " till at length, after 

 one long coast, she alights on a raised patch of 

 ground. 



Generally solitary, towards evening especially 

 the two sexes are frequently seen together, 

 particularly in the vicinity of the eyrie. Although 

 by no means social (witness the onslaught made 

 by a pair on a passing Harrier), I know of one hill 



