selves over in the air. Some birds have move- 

 ments peculiar to the season of love : thus ring- 

 doves, 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 flight, fans the air 

 like the wind-hover ; and the greenfinch in particular 

 exhibits such languishing and faltering gestures, as 

 to appear like a wounded and dying bird ; the king- 

 fisher darts along like an arrow ; fern-owls, or goat- 

 suckers, glance 

 in the dusk over 

 the tops of trees 

 like a meteor ; 

 starlings as it 

 were swim along, 

 while missel- 



^ thrushes use a 

 wild and desul- 

 tory flight ; swal- 

 lows sweep over 

 the surface of 

 the ground and 

 water, and dis- 

 tinguish them- 

 selves by rapid 

 turns and quick 

 swifts dash round in circles ; and the 



moves with frequent vacillations like 

 io8 



Skylarks. 



evolutions ; 

 bank-martin 



