THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS. 49 



pursued as accurately and as inexorably as 

 if the two constituted one body, excite feel- 

 ings of the deepest concern. You mount 

 the fence or rush out of your way to see the 

 issue. The only salvation for the bird is to 

 adopt the tactics of the moth, seeking in- 

 stantly the cover of some tree, bush, or 

 hedge, where its smaller size enables it to 

 move about more rapidly. These pirates are 

 aware of this, and therefore prefer to take 

 their prey by one fell swoop. You may see 

 one of them prowling through an orchard, 

 with the yellow-birds hovering about him, 

 crying, Pi-ty, pi-ty, in the most desponding 

 tone ; yet he seems not to regard them, 

 knowing, as do they, that in the close 

 branches they are as safe as if in a wall of 

 adamant. 



August is the month of the high-sailing 

 hawks. The hen-hawk is the most notice- 

 able. He likes the haze and calm of these 

 long, warm days. He is a bird of leisure, 

 and seems always at his ease. How beauti- 

 ful and majestic are his movements ! So 

 self-poised and easy, such an entire absence 

 of haste, such a magnificent amplitude of 

 circles and spirals, such a haughty, imperial 

 grace, and, occasionally, such daring aerial 

 evolutions ! 



