34 WAKE-ROBIN 



When the south wind blows, it is a study to see 

 three or four of these air-kings at the head of the 

 valley far up toward the mountain, balancing and 

 oscillating upon the strong current; now quite sta- 

 tionary, except a slight tremulous motion like the 

 poise of a rope-dancer, then rising and falling in 

 long undulations, and seeming to resign themselves 

 passively to the wind; or, again, sailing high and 

 level far above the mountain's peak, no bluster and 

 haste, but, as stated, occasionally a terrible earnest- 

 ness and speed. Fire at one as he sails overhead, 

 and, unless wounded badly, he will not change his 

 course or gait. 



His flight is a perfect picture of repose in mo- 

 tion. It strikes the eye as more surprising than 

 the flight of the pigeon and swallow even, in that 

 the effort put forth is so uniform and delicate as to 

 escape observation, giving to the movement an air 

 of buoyancy and perpetuity, the effluence of power 

 rather than the conscious application of it. 



The calmness and dignity of this hawk, when 

 attacked by crows or the kingbird, are well worthy 

 of him. He seldom deigns to notice his noisy and 

 furious antagonists, but deliberately wheels about 

 in that aerial spiral, and mounts and mounts till 

 his pursuers grow dizzy and return to earth again. 

 It is quite original, this mode of getting rid of an 

 unworthy opponent, rising to heights where the 

 braggart is dazed and bewildered and loses his reck- 

 oning ! I am not sure but it is worthy of imitation. 



But summer wanes, and autumn approaches. 



