251 NATURAL HISTORY 



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 ; woodpeckers fly volatu 

 undosOj 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 burthens, 

 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 tumblers turn themselves over in the 

 air. Some birds have movements peculiar to the season of 

 pairing : 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 kingfisher 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 desultory flight; swallows 



