148 OUTDOOR STUDIES 
wave of a Hawk’s wings seems almost to send a 
slow vibration through the atmosphere, tolling 
upon the eye as yon distant bell upon the ear. 
I never was more impressed with the superior 
dignity of these soarings than in observing a 
bloodless contest in the air last April. Stand- 
ing beside a little grove on a rocky hillside, I 
heard Crows cawing near by, and then a sound 
like great flies buzzing, which I really attributed, 
for a moment, to some early insect. Turning, 
I saw two Crows flapping their heavy wings 
among the trees, and observed that they were 
teasing a Hawk about as large as themselves, 
which was also on the wing. Presently all 
three had risen above the branches, and were 
circling higher and higher in a slow spiral. 
The Crows kept constantly swooping at their 
enemy, with the same angry buzz, one of the 
two taking decidedly the lead. They seldom 
struck at him with their beaks, but kept lum- 
bering against him, and flapping him with their 
wings, as if in a fruitless effort to capsize him ; 
while the Hawk kept carelessly eluding the as- 
saults, now inclining on one side, now on the 
other, with a stately grace, never retaliating, 
but seeming rather to enjoy the novel amuse- 
ment, as if it were a skirmish in balloons. Dur- 
ing all this, indeed, he scarcely seemed once to 
wave his wings, yet he soared steadily aloft, till 
