SPRING AT THE CAPITAL. 145 



the ground, suffices to lift its feet clear. Their move- 

 ments when in air are very majestic and beautiful to 

 the eye, being in every respect identical with those of 

 our common hen or red-tailed hawk. They sail along 

 in the same calm, effortless, interminable manner, and 

 sweep around in the same ample spirals. The shape 

 of their wings and tail, indeed their entire. effect against 

 the sky, except in size and color, is very nearly the 

 same as that of the hawk mentioned. A dozen at a 

 time may often be seen high in air, amusing themselves 

 by sailing serenely round and round in the same 

 circle. 



They are less active and vigilant than the hawk ; 

 never poise themselves on the wing, never dive and 

 gambol in the air, and never swoop down upon their 

 prey ; unlike the hawks also, they appear to have no 

 enemies. The crow fights the hawk, and.the kingbird 

 and crow-blackbird fight the crow ; but neither takes 

 any notice of the buzzard. He excites the enmity of 

 none, for the reason that he molests none. The crow 

 has an old grudge against the hawk, because the hawk 

 robs the crow's nest, and carries off his young ; the 

 kingbird's quarrel with the crow is upon the same 

 grounds. But the buzzard never attacks live game, or 

 feeds upon new flesh when old can be had. 



In May, like the crows, they nearly all disappear 



very suddenly, probably to their breeding-haunts near 



the sea-shore. Do the males separate from the females 



at this time, and go by themselves ? At any rate, in 



10 



