THE ANGLER 151 



the bird were set up on finest wire springs. Without 

 this action, the sandpiper would be distinguished, 

 its lines are shapely, and the whole form comely 

 and choice. But the lively movements enhance its 

 beauty. To have a glimpse from a railway carriage 

 window of one of these little white-bellied things, 

 bobbing and flirting at the brink of a stream or 

 lakelet, is to long to get out of the train at the 

 next station, and walk back along the line to the 

 spot. 



Of all the problems in Nature that we turn over 

 in thought, this one of beauty sometimes seems the 

 chief. Beauty of form, sound, colour, and device in 

 every direction ; beauty soaring on every wind, beauty 

 running in every water, beauty covering almost every 

 scrap of earth in Nature and in most cases not the 

 semblance of a theory to explain it. I doubt whether 

 there is any good explanation why some of our birds 

 are so distinguished by these exquisite actions of 

 body, tail, wings. If they were only or chiefly used 

 for courtship, we might account for them so. But 

 the blackbird, when he pitches after a short flight, 

 does not make those entrancing up and down move- 

 ments of his tail for courtship, nor have I reason 

 to think the redstart quivers his tail to get a mate 

 or please a mate. The sandpiper and the wagtail 

 movements belong to the same class of unexplained 

 beauty. After all, though we smile at their simplicity, 

 it was natural enough our fathers should conclude 



