Montagu's Harrier. 97 



as do other birds and this is a wise provision of Nature 

 otherwise, during the season of moulting, they must starve ; but 

 now they moult but one feather on each wing at a time, and 

 when a feather drops from one wing, the corresponding feather 

 on the other wing drops out within seven hours. This is, 

 without doubt, for the sake of equilibrium; then, as the new 

 feathers come up and are grown, another pair in like manner 

 falls out, and so with the tail/ Mr. Hayward also observes that 

 ' hawks, in fighting, would score one another's backs with their 

 talons at a swoop, to avoid which catastrophe the one attacked 

 invariably turns over and presents her feet to the assailant/ 



