OUTDOORS 



pecker or " flicker," the wing movement is 

 practically the same as the other wood- 

 peckers, the members of the sapsucker family 

 and the tiny wild canaries. His flight is a 

 succession of billowy curves, as a wave will 

 slide from crest to base, and rise from base 

 to crest again. The red-headed woodpecker, 

 the downy woodpecker, the " quilt," the log 

 cock, and the sapsuckers all have this see- 

 saw motion through the air. But I should 

 say that the yellow-hammer's flight was of 

 longer and less abrupt curves, and that his 

 poise was more graceful and not so jerky. I 

 can tell him easily from the other woodpeck- 

 ers at any reasonable distance, and have al- 

 ways admired his swinging, forceful stroke 

 of wing. 



And then across an open place, between the serried trees, 

 High up in sun-surrounded space a golden shadow flees, 



In curves that rise and curves that dip, 



As graceful as a curtseying ship, 



With measured stroke of pinions bright 



That marks the flicker's flight. 



The humming-bird's motions are two, be- 

 ing the hover and the dart. See him poised 

 above a flower. His wings whirl like an 



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