332 NATURAL HISTORY 



Say, what retards, amidst the summer's blaze, 

 The' autumnal bulb, till pale, declining days? 

 The GOD of SEASONS ; whose pervading power 

 Controls the sun, or sheds the fleecy shower: 

 He bids each flower his quickening word obey ; 

 Or to each lingering bloom enjoins delay. 



LETTER XLII. 



TO THE SAME. 



" Omnibus animalibus reliquis certus et uniusmodi et in suo cuique 

 genere incessus est : aves solae vario meatu feruntur et in terra et in 

 acre/' PUN. Hist. Nat. lib. x. cap. 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 manner 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 expanded 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 kestril 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 

 ballast. There is a peculiarity belonging to ravens that 

 must draw the attention even of the most incurious 



