184 THE HUMAN SIDE OF BIRDS 



This brief review of the winged aviators might 

 be prolonged indefinitely, as each species and fam- 

 ily has its own peculiarities and advantages in flight, 

 always suited to its needs. The wisdom of Nature 

 surpasseth human understanding, and nowhere is 

 this more vividly shown than in the study of flying 

 birds. Their equipment is based upon the sound- 

 est principles of science — ^principles that man has 

 acquired only in very recent times. 



The battles in the air, which have seemed to us 

 to surpass all else in all the field of romance, are 

 ancient history in the bird world. Every day 

 countless struggles are fought and won among 

 birds, like our modem military aeroplanes — ^singly 

 or in squadrons. .Who has not seen a group of 

 small birds combine to attack a large stranger, who 

 is bent upon mischief in their territory? Sparrows 

 in great numbers often attack crows, and even 

 mocking-birds ; and aU the birds of a large area will 

 combine to destroy a common enemy, like the owl. 



Sometimes even a great black eagle wiU be at- 

 tacked and hounded by one or more purple martins; 

 these tiny, fearless little warriors pursue their 

 enemy day after day, until he is banished from their 

 district. The feats which they perform in these 

 encounters are remarkable even to those versed in 

 such matters. One of them will rise into the air 



