66 
THE NIGHT-HAWK 
The Sparrows we have always with us* They are 
like ourselves* They build hideous habitations 
beyond their needs, and willingly endure the taints 
of civilisation for the sake of fighting over its few good 
things* The Sparrow has descended to the level of 
civilised man, and his power and influence amongst 
us is gone forever* The Swallow or Swift is a summer 
boarder in the city, too much inclined to adopt our 
ways* He brings with him the lively freshness of 
nature, yet after a few days' sojourning he chatters 
over the morning news, brushes the dust off his coat 
and goes about his daily affairs with the dull fidelity 
of his neighbours* But the Night-hawk never takes 
up the white man's burden* He is a missionary from 
the great outer world — in the city, but not of it* His 
name is as ill-applied as it is ill-omened, for he is not 
connected with the Hawks by consanguinity,sympathy, 
or unity of purpose* He has a grace of flight peculiarly 
his own, turning, wheeling, and darting hither and 
thither without apparent effort, or circling on easily 
extended pinions* The conspicuous white spot under 
each wing looks like a hole, and may have suggested 
the modern idea of ventilating yacht sails* Nature 
paints with a careful touch, and the great spots, 
bands, and patches carelessly displayed by birds in 
white, black, or colour are laid on the exposed webs 
or tips, one feather at a time, so that a plucked 
quill would be as irregular and meaningless as a 
