34 WAKE-ROBIN 
When the south wind blows, it is a study to see 
three or four of these air-kings at the head of the 
valley far up toward the mountain, balancing and 
oscillating upon the strong current; now quite sta- 
tionary, except a slight tremulous motion like the 
poise of a rope-dancer, then rising and. falling in 
long undulations, and seeming to resign themselves 
passively to the wind; or, again, sailing high and 
level far above the mountain’s peak, no bluster and 
haste, but, as stated, occasionally a terrible earnest- 
ness and speed. Fire at one as he sails overhead, 
and, unless wounded badly, he will not change his 
course or gait. , 
His flight is a perfect picture of repose in mo- 
tion. It strikes the eye as more surprising than 
the flight of the pigeon and swallow even, in that 
the effort put forth is so uniform and delicate as to 
escape observation, giving to the movement an air 
of buoyancy and perpetuity, the effluence of power 
rather than the conscious application of it. 
The calmness and dignity of this hawk, when 
attacked by crows or the kingbird, are well worthy 
of him. He seldom deigns to notice his noisy and 
furious antagonists, but deliberately wheels about 
in that aerial spiral, and mounts and mounts till 
his pursuers grow dizzy and return to earth again. 
It is quite original, this mode of getting rid of an 
unworthy opponent, rising to heights where the 
braggart is dazed and bewildered and loses his reck- 
oning! I am not sure but it is worthy of imitation. 
But summer wanes, and autumn approaches. 
