234 BIRDS AND MAN 



sparrow hawk, and several others, the wing-beats 

 are exceedingly rapid. This is the case with the 

 magpie ; the quickness of the wing-beats causes 

 the black and white on the quills to mingle and 

 appear a misty grey; but at short intervals the 

 bird glides and the wings appear black and white 

 again. The jay, although his wings are so short 

 and round, when not in a hurry progresses by 

 means of comparatively slow, measured wing- 

 beats, and looks as if swimming rather than 

 flying. 



It is when the gathered birds all finally settle 

 on a tree that they are most to be admired. 

 They will sometimes remain on the spot for half 

 an hour or longer, displaying their graces and 

 emitting the extraordinary medley of noises 

 mixed with musical sounds. But they do not 

 often sit still at such times ; if there are many 

 birds, and the excitement is great, some of them 

 are perpetually moving, jumping and flitting 

 from branch to branch, and springing into the air 

 to wheel round or pass over the tree, all appar- 

 ently intent on showing off^ their various colours 

 — vinaceous brown, sky blue, velvet black, and 

 glistening white — to the best advantage. 



