PECULIARITIES OF BIRDS. 21] 



LETTER XLII. To THE HON. DAINES HARRINGTON 



" Omnibus animalibus reliquis certus et uniusmodi, et in suo cuique genere inces- 

 sus est : aves solae vario nieatu feruntur, et in terra, et in aere." 



PLIN. Hist. Nat. lib. x. ^ap. 38. 



DEAR SIR, Selborne, Aug. 7, 1778. 



A GOOD ornithologist should be able to distinguish birds by their 

 air as well as by their colours and shape ; on the ground as well 

 as on the wing, and in the bush as well as in the hand. For, 

 though it must not be said that every species of birds has a man- 

 ner peculiar to itself, yet there is somewhat in most genera at 

 least, that at first sight discriminates them, and enables a judicious 

 observer to pronounce upon them with some certainty. Put a 

 bird in motion 



" Et vera incessu patuit " 



Thus kites and buzzards sail round in circles with wings ex- 

 panded and motionless ; and it is from their gliding manner that 

 the former are still called in the north of England gleads, from 

 the Saxon verb glidan to glide. The kestrel, or wind-hover, has 

 a peculiar mode of hanging in the air in one place, his wings all 

 the while being briskly agitated. Hen- 

 harriers fly low over heaths or fields 

 of corn, and beat the ground regularly 

 like a pointer or setting-dog. Owls 

 move in a buoyant manner, as if lighter 

 than the air ; they seem to want bal- 

 last. There is a peculiarity belonging 

 to ravens that must draw the attention 

 even of the most incurious they 

 spend all their leisure time in striking and cuffing each other on 

 the wing in a kind of playful skirmish ; and, when they move 

 from one place to another, frequently turn on their backs with a 

 loud croak, and seem to be falling to the ground. When this odd 

 gesture betides them, they are scratching themselves with one 

 foot, and thus lose the centre of gravity. Rooks sometimes dive 

 and tumble in a frolicsome manner : crows and daws swagger in 

 their walk ; wood-peckers fly volatu undoso, opening and closing 

 their wings at every stroke, and so are always rising or falling in 



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