THE OOLOGIST. 



69 



Bitterns fly directly into bunches of 

 rushes in escapicg from the nest, and 

 they have often been caught in the act 

 of leaving the nest. Sometimes the 

 Herons sail on motionless wings and I 

 have observed this practice with the 

 members of heronries in the spring. 

 Sandhill Cranes are ponderous fliers, 

 but they are extremely graceful when 

 sailing at great heights. I have ob- 

 served them sailing about at the height 

 of a thousand yards for hours at a time, 

 where they seemed to soar for the 

 pleasure, or perhaps for the admiration 

 of their mates, to whom they conversed 

 in tinkling notes resembling a cow bell. 

 This species, like all long-legged birds 

 extends its feet out behind when fljing, 

 The Rails and Gallinult-s are slow fliers, 

 and I have never observed a bird rise 

 to a height of fifty yards above the 

 water. The movements of the wings 

 are in short, rapid flops and the im- 

 pression follows that the bird dees not 

 try its best, for the wings are never 

 fully extended, 



Among the shore birds we find a 

 great variation in flight. We have the 

 short flight of the Woodcock, the tow- 

 ering of the Wilson's Snipe, the re- 

 markable evolutions of the little Sand- 

 pipers, and the soaring and trembling 

 flutter of the Field Plover. Most of the 

 shore birds are strong fliers, and many 

 move with great rapidity , but few pro- 

 ceed in a direct line. I have seen 

 mixed flocks of Least and Semipalmat- 

 ed Sandpipers circle about a lake for 

 an hour at a stretch; performing every 

 form of tactics in bird manoeuvres. 

 The Phalaropes are graceful flyers as 

 well as swimmers. The Tattlers are 

 vigorous on the wing, ?.nd erratic in 

 their flight. Plovers are graceful on 

 the wing, and it is a pleasure to v atch 

 a flock skimming th« meadows in the 

 fall. The military precision of a flock 

 of Golden Plovers is admimble; there is 

 a rank and tile; detachments fall out, 

 and again bring into line. Sometimes 



the flock spreads out in rank, very 

 tempting to the gunner, and then turn- 

 ing, the birds sweep by in a column, 

 entirely different from the compact 

 grouping of the Sandpipers, which I 

 have seen in groups of twenty to fifty 

 birds in a mass that could be covered 

 by a big stieet. 



The Grouse and Quail have a quiver- 

 ing burst of speed when startled, but 

 if flying naturally they all beat the 

 wings and sail alternately. The Prairie 

 Chicken is a straight away flier, rarely 

 dodging about, while the Ruffed G.ouse 

 is very elusive and covers his retreat in 

 the woods. Wild Turkejs will often 

 run a long distance, assisting in their 

 escape by the aid of their wings. They 

 can fly with great vigor if necessary 

 and I have seen a flock fly over a half 

 mile to a forflst beyond a river. The 

 birds were flushed from an open field 

 and their movements could be well ob- 

 served as they raised to an elevation of 

 eighty yards or so and made a bee line 

 for the forest, into which they sailed 

 for the last fifty yards of their flight. 



We flnd many forms of flight among 

 the birds of prey, and though they are 

 all of a general pattern, still there are 

 variations. The Turkey Buzzard, 

 which has extended its range into 

 Michigan only within the last quarter 

 of a century, is a bird of tireless flight, 

 and often sails for hours at a time in 

 search of prey. I am of the opinion 

 that this species may sail in a straight 

 line or in circles, without a breath of 

 wind stirring and without descending 

 from its plane. This opinion is not in 

 accordance with accepted theories, but 

 without giving my version I am going 

 to let my opinion stand, and in time it 

 will be acknowledged correct. It is 

 not for scientists of present understand- 

 ing to say that this bird is to be 

 governed by the principles of "me- 

 chanics of flight," and that a bird can- 

 not maintain its position on motionless 

 wings unless there is a breeze, as with 



