88 THE LIFE OF THE FIELDS. 



ground by the building where, on a little tree, the 

 hawk perched day after day. Then, beating round, he 

 hovered over the gardens of the district, often above 

 the public roads and over a large tennis lawn. His 

 farthest sweep seemed to be to the Sussex County 

 Cricket field and then back again. Day after day he 

 went his rounds for weeks together, through the 

 stormy times of the early months, passing several 

 times a day, almost as regularly as the postman. He 

 showed no fear, hovering close to the people in the 

 roads or working in their gardens. All his motions 

 could be observed with facility the mode of hovering, 

 which he accomplished easily, whether there was a 

 gale or a perfect calm ; indeed, his ways could be 

 noted as well as if it had been by the side of the wildest 

 copse. One morning he perched on a chimney; the 

 house was not occupied, but the next to it was, and 

 there were builders' workmen engaged on the opposite 

 side of the road ; so that the wild hawk, if unmolested, 

 would soon become comparatively tame. When the 

 season became less rigorous, and the breeding time 

 approached, the kestrel was seen no more ; having 

 flown for the copses between the Downs or in the 

 \Weald. 



The power of hovering is not so wonderful as that 

 of soaring, which the hawks possess, but which is also 

 ' exhibited by seagulls. On a March morning two gulls 

 came up from the sea, and as they neared the Downs 

 began to soar. It was necessary to fix the gaze on 

 one, as the eyes cannot follow two soaring birds at 

 once. This gull, having spread his wings wide, swept 

 up the dean, or valley, with great speed, and, turning 



