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NATURAL HISTORY 



sevles by rapid turns and quick evolutions ; 

 swifts dash round in circles ; and the bank- 

 martin moves w^ith frequent vacillations 

 like a butterfly. Most of the small birds 

 fly by jerks, rising and falling as they ad- 

 vance. Most small birds hop ; but wagtails 

 and larks w^\k, moving their legs alter- 

 nately. Skylarks rise and fall perpendicu- 

 larly as they sing ; woodlarks hang poised 

 in the air ; and titlarks rise and fall in large 

 curves, singing in their descent. The 

 white-throat uses odd jerks and gesticula- 

 tions over the tops of hedges and bushes. 

 All the duck-kind w^addle ; divers and auks 

 vi^alk as if fettered, and stand erect on their 

 tails : these are the cowpedes of LimifBus. 

 Geese and cranes, and most v^ild-fovs^ls, move 

 in figured flights, often changing their 

 position. The secondary remiges of TVm- 

 g{B, wild ducks, and some others, are very 

 long, and give their wings, when in motion, 

 an hooked appearance. Dab^chicks, moor^ 

 hens, and coots, fly erect, with their legs 

 hanging down, and hardly make any dis- 



