The Burgess Bird Book for Children 



sky. I do wish he'd dive and scare some one 

 else." i 



Peter tipped his head 'way back. High up in the 

 blue, blue sky was a bird which at that distance 

 looked something like a much overgrown Swallow. 

 He was circling and darting about this way and 

 that. Even while Peter watched he half closed 

 his wings and shot down with such speed that 

 Peter actually held his breath. It looked very, 

 very much as if Boomer would dash himself to 

 pieces. Just before he reached the earth he 

 suddenly opened those wings and turned upward. 

 At the instant he turned, the booming sound which 

 had so startled Peter was heard. It was made 

 by the rushing of the wind through the larger 

 feathers of his wings as he checked himself. 



In this dive Boomer had come near enough for 

 Peter to get a good look at him. His coat seemed 

 to be a mixture of brown and gray, very soft 

 looking. His wings were brown with a patch of 

 white on each. There was a white patch on his 

 throat and a band of white near the end of his 

 tail. 



"He's rather handsome, don't you think?" 

 asked Jenny Wren. 



"He certainly is," replied Peter. "Do you 

 happen to know what kind of a nest the Night- 

 hawks build, Jenny?" 



[170] 



