114 THE WILD-FOWLER. 



may be known by the shortness of their pinions and heavy-looking 

 bodies ; and especially by their flying- in a closely-packed lump, and 

 not in line or figure, as widgeon and duck. 



The flight of shovellers is very similar to dun-birds ; but they 

 generally fly low in the air, and never in large doppings. 



Teal may be known by their small size : their method of flight 

 very much resembles the widgeon, and, when in large springs, 

 they fly either in single line or triangularly. 



Coots fly in a similar manner to moorhens, but swifter, carrying 

 their heads straight out, and their legs hanging down ; the reason of 

 which is that their wings are placed so near their necks, that the 

 centre of gravity is not correctly balanced ; the distinction of flight 

 between the coot and moorhen being, that the latter carries its 

 head erect when on wing, the other as stated above. 



The heron flies with its long legs thrown straight out in line with 

 its body, as if they formed part of its tail, and carries its head and 

 neck the very opposite to that of round-beaked fowl ; instead of 

 stretching it out forward, the heron gracefully curves the neck, and 

 throws its head upon its back when flying through the air, in the 

 same manner as a stag when charging a fence. 



All waders, such as stalk with long shanks, as they fly stretch out 

 their legs at length beyond their tails.* 



The curlew is best known on the wing by its long beak : in flight 

 it is powerful ; but the movements of its wings are rapid, and very 

 much resembling the widgeon. 



The snipe is known by its swift and graceful movements in the air, 

 and the immense power of its stroke of wing, its zigzag dartings, and 

 the circular route of its flight. 



The grey and golden plover fly with a similar stroke of wing to 

 that of the snipe, but steadier ; and just before alighting they droop 

 their wings, with apparently lazy or enfeebled effort. They do not 

 present that rapid zigzag movement so peculiar to the snipe, though 

 many of their motions in the air resemble them. 



The lapwing may be distinguished in flight by the rounded shape 

 of its wings, and the steady regularity of the short flapping strokes 

 which it makes with them ; also by the black colour of its wings and 

 the whiteness of its body, by its turnings and tumblings, and by its 

 well-known note, " pee-wit !" 



* " Longipedes porrectis ad caudam cruribus volant." Pliny, lib. xi., cap. 47. 



