THE FLIGHT OF WILD-FOWL. 115 



Oxbirds are known by their beautiful and incomparable appearance 

 in the air; the grace and closeness of their flings as if the 

 wings of every bird touched the other, and yet they preserve the 

 mass entire, darting and rushing about with wonderful rapidity ; 

 when turning up their wings in the sun they present an appearance 

 similar to a cloud of silvery whiteness ; and for which they alone, of 

 all other birds, are particularly admired. 



Everyone is familiar with the hovering motion of the sea-gull, 

 totally different to that of other sea-fowl ; it seldom appears bent on 

 any determined aim, but wheels about in the air as if indifferent to 

 locality, and seldom making a long flight either over sea or land. 



A little experience will also teach the wild-fowl-shooter to dis- 

 tinguish the different species of wild-fowl when swimming on the 

 water, though at a considerable distance. 



Swans and geese are always distinguishable on the water from 

 other wild-fowl by their size. 



Ducks are known from widgeon and many other species by the 

 length of their necks, and the brown-coloured feathers of the female. 

 Widgeon look blacker and smaller upon the water. 



Coots are known by the regularly-scattered extent of their coverts, 

 and the wide space of water they occupy ; shovellers by their move- 

 ments constantly diving and disappearing from the surface. 



Sea-gulls, which look dark by moonlight, and are often mistaken 

 for wild-fowl by a novice, may be distinguished by their tails 

 sticking up higher than their heads. 



Divers of the merganser and colymbus species swim with their tails 

 low, and their heads and breasts boldly erect. 



Such are among a few of the readiest means by which the different 

 species of water-fowl may be known when flying in the air or swim- 

 ming on the water. 



