New Walks in Old Ways 



benefit. If you have any regard what- 

 ever for their peace of mind and 

 general welfare, you of course permit 

 this clever expedient to work as the 

 birds intend. They will play for hours 

 when left to themselves, just for the 

 pure, unadultered fun they evidently 

 get out of it; but in the case just men- 

 tioned they are only pretending to 

 enjoy themselves. They are really 

 worried, and their mental distress is 

 not altogether relieved until you have 

 put a respectful distance between your- 

 self and the post; whereupon they 

 quickly descend and inspect the house, 

 to make sure that no hocus-pocus trick 

 of yours has robbed them of their 

 young while the feathered fathers and 

 mothers flew so gaily for your enter- 

 tainment. 



A martin in full flight is the counter- 

 part of a skilled skater on good ice. 

 First the quick, sharp, vigorous strokes 

 that work up the necessary speed; 

 then the long, smooth, graceful glide 

 [88] 



