232 BEACH GRASS 



poised like a kite over the brow of yonder hill. 

 Nearer at hand a lithe and graceful creature is 

 flying close to the open ground, patiently quar- 

 tering the whole field. Again one may see a 

 hawk slinking along, alternately gliding and flap- 

 ping by copse and hedge, fearlessly passing 

 within a few yards of the human observer. Again 

 a small hawk with pointed wings is hovering over 

 a grassy pasture and drops at frequent intervals 

 to the ground, or a larger bird, built on the same 

 plan suddenly darts like a winged arrow and 

 spreads devastation among a flock of terrified 

 shore birds. It is rarely the case that one is able 

 to make out the markings of these birds. In the 

 distance they are dark objects silhouetted against 

 the sky, and near at hand their velocity of flight 

 and the excitement that their sudden apparition 

 creates, not only in the birds but in the bird- 

 watcher, makes the careful study of markings 

 difficult. On these accounts many observers, 

 keen and accurate enough in the case of other 

 birds are often in despair with the identification 

 of hawks, and their despair is increased by the 

 fact that most artificial keys in the books dwell 



