BIRD LIFE, ETC. 161 



exhibition of its faculties. Kneel down here, then, 

 among the long broom, and let us watch the pair that 

 have just made their appearance on the shoulder of the 

 hill. Leave these beautiful flowerets to the inspection 

 of that lank-sided botanist, who drags himself slowly 

 along, with a huge tin cannister on his back, and eyes 

 ever bent on the ground. Should he wander hither- 

 ward, he will be delighted to cull the lovely tufts of 

 maiden-pinks that surround us ; but we look heaven- 

 ward, like the astronomers. 



How beautifully they glide along, in their circling 

 flight, with gentle flaps of their expanded wings, float- 

 ing, as it were, in the air, their half-spread tails inclined 

 from side to side, as they balance themselves, or alter 

 their course ! Now they are near enough to enable us 

 to distinguish the male from the female. They seem 

 to be hunting in concert, and their search is keen, for 

 they fly at times so low as almost to touch the bushes, 

 and never rise higher than thirty feet. The grey bird 

 hovers, fixing himself in air like the kestrel ; now he 

 stoops, but recovers himself. A hare breaks from the 

 cover, but they follow her not, though, doubtless, were 

 they to spy her young one, it would not escape so well. 

 The female now hovers for a few seconds, gradually 

 sinks for a short space, ascends, turns a little to one 

 side, closes her wings, and comes to the ground. She 

 has secured her prey, for she remains concealed among 

 the furze, while the male shoots away, flying at the 

 height of three or four yards, sweeps along the haw- 

 thorn hedge, bounds over it to the other side, turns 



M 



