NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 227 



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 undoso, 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 hooked-clawed birds, walk awkwardly, 

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

 descending with ridiculous caution. All the gallince 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 encumbered 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 particularly the sort called smiters, have a 

 way of clashing their wings the one against the other over 

 their backs with a loud snap ; another variety, called tum- 

 blers, turn themselves over in the air. Some birds have 

 movements peculiar to the season of love ', thus ringdoves, 

 though strong and rapid at other times, yet in the spring 

 hang about on the wing in a toying and playful manner ; 

 thus the cock-snipe, while breeding, forgetting his former 



