202 The Natural History- 



is somewhat in most genera at least, that at first sight 

 discriminates them, and enables a judicious observer to 

 pronounce upon them with some certainty. Put a bird 

 in motion 



. . . ** Et vera incessu patuit" .... 



Thus kites and buzzards sail round in circles with 

 wings expanded and motionless ; and it is from their 

 gliding manner that the former are still called in the north 

 of England gleads, from the Saxon verb glidan to glide. 

 The kestrel, or wind-hover, has a peculiar mode of 

 hanging in the air in one place, his wings all the while 

 being briskly agitated. Hen-harriers fly low over heaths 

 or fields of corn, and beat the ground regularly like a 

 pointer or setting-dog. Owls move in a buoyant manner, 

 as if lighter than the air ; they seem to want ballast. 

 There is a peculiarity belonging to ravens that must draw 

 the attention even of the most incurious — they spend all 

 their leisure time in striking and cuffing each other on 

 the wing in a kind of playful skirmish ; and, when they 

 move from one place to another, frequently turn on their 

 backs with a loud croak, and seem to be falling to the 

 ground. When this odd gesture betides them, they are 

 scratching themselves with one foot, and thus lose the 

 centre of gravity. Rooks sometimes dive and tumble in 

 a frolicsome manner ; crows and daws swagger in their 

 walk ; wood-peckers fly volatu u?idoso^ opening and closing 

 their wings at every stroke, and so are always rising or 

 falling in curves. All of this genus use their tails, which 

 incline downward, as a support while they run up trees. 

 Parrots, like all other hook-clawed birds, walk awkwardly, 

 and make use of their bill as a third foot, climbing and 

 ascending with ridiculous caution. All the gallinos. 

 parade and walk gracefully, and run nimbly ; but fly with 

 difficulty, with an impetuous whirring, and in a straight 

 line. Magpies and jays flutter with powerless wings, 

 and make no dispatch ; herons seem incumbered with too 

 much sail for their light bodies ; but these vast hollow 

 wings are necessary in carrying burdens, such as large 

 fishes, and the like ; pigeons, and [)articularly the sort 



