II. THE SWALLOW, 6"] 



It is true that the tail feathers in many 

 birJc appear to be entirely, — even cumbrously, 

 decoiative; as in the peacock, and birds of 

 paradise. But I am confident that it is not 

 so in the swallow, and that the forked tail, 

 so defined in form and strong in plume, has 

 indeed important functions in guiding the 

 flight ; yet notice how surrounded one is on 

 all sides with pitfalls for the theorists. The 

 forked tail reminds you at once of a fish's ; 

 and yet, the action of the two creatures is 

 wholly contrary. A fish lashes himself forward 

 with his tail, and steers with his fins ; a swallow 

 lashes himself forward with his fins, and steers 

 with his tail ; partly, not necessarily, because 

 in the most dashing of the swallows, the swift, 

 the fork of the tail is the least developed. 

 And I never watch the bird for a moment 

 without finding myself in some fresh puzzle 

 out of which there is no clue in the scientific 

 books. I want to know, for instance, how the 

 bird turns. What does it do with one wing, 

 what witli the otiicr ? Fancy the pace that 

 has to be stopped ; tlic force of bridle-hand 

 put out in an instant. Fancy how the wings 

 must bend with the strain ; what need there 



