34 TAILS 



gaping mouth. Now, during this " temporary 

 alteration of the premises " all business was of neces- 

 sity stopped. The half-fish, half-frog could neither 

 sup like an infant nor eat like a man. In this 

 extremity it fed on its own tail — absorbed it as a 

 camel is said to absorb its hump when travelling 

 in the foodless desert — and so it entered on its new 

 life without one. 



Aeronautics have changed the whole perspective 

 of life for birds, as they may for us shortly ; so it 

 is no surprise to find that birds have, almost with 

 one consent, converted their tails into steering-gear. 

 A commonplace bird, like a sparrow, scarcely 

 requires this except as a brake when in the act of 

 alighting ; but to those birds with which flight is 

 an art and an accomplishment, an expansive forked 

 or rounded tail (there are two patents) is indispen- 

 sable. We have shot almost all the birds of this 

 sort in our own country, and must travel if we would 

 enjoy that enchanting sight — a pair of eagles or a 

 party of kites gone aloft for a sail when the wind is 

 rising, like skaters to a pond when the ice is bearing. 

 For an hour on end, in restful ease or swift joy, 

 they trace ever-varying circles and spirals against 

 the dark storm-cloud, now rising, now falling, turn- 

 ing and reversing, but never once flapping their 

 widespread pinions. 



How is it done ? How does the Shamrock sail ? 

 Watch, and you will see. When the wind is behind, 

 each stiff quill at the end of the wing stands out by 



