6 Wild Life in a Southern County. 
impulse checked only by fear. With one or two 
exceptions, they do not appear to have the least idea 
of saving labour by clearing one spot of ground of 
food before flying farther: they just hastily snatch a 
morsel and off again; or, in a tree, peer anxiously 
into every crack and crevice on one bough, and away 
to another tree a hundred yards distant, leaving fifty 
boughs behind without examination. Starlings liter- 
ally race over the earth where they are feeding— 
jealous of each other lest one should be first, and so. 
they leave a tract all around not so much as looked 
at. Then, having run a little way, they rise and fly 
to another part of the field. Each starling seems full 
of envy and emulation—eager to outstrip his fellow 
in the race for titbits; and so they all miss much of 
what they might otherwise find. Their life is so 
gregarious that it resembles that of men in cities: 
watching one another with feverish anxiety—pushing 
and bustling. Larks are much calmer, and always. 
appear placid even in their restlessness, and do not 
jostle their neighbours. 
See—the hawk, after going nearly out of sight, 
has swept round, and passes again at no great 
distance ; this is a common habit of his kind, to 
beat round in wide circles. As the breeze strikes 
him aslant his course he seems to fly for a short time 
partly on one side, like a skater sliding on the outer 
edge. 
There is a rough grass growing within the enclo- 
