i86 
A LONELY WANDERER 
steadily through them. Orange was most persistent 
in this prismatic circle, and it faded out imper- 
ceptibly into yellow. Each passing cloud took up 
the circle of delicate, transparent colour, holding it 
around the moon with the accuracy and precision 
of light's established ways. With each momentary 
clearing of the sky all colour was lost in the clear 
white light from the furrowed face of the glowing 
satellite. Then another transparent cloud took up the 
tint of the outer circle of colour, the fading yellow 
of the uncertain circumference holding its rich 
gradations to the almost invisible blue close to the 
inner ring of light. 
On such nights in autumn a field-glass sometimes 
reveals the small migrants trailing their lofty course 
southward across the moon's disk, but it was a 
surprise to see a large Hawk making its steady way 
over the city toward the west at midnight, moving 
quite low, and its steady course could be followed 
after it had passed the circle of light and colour. 
These birds of prey are uncertain in size and colour, 
but they have distinct family characteristics. It was 
probably a Red-shouldered Hawk or a Red-tailed 
Hawk, but colours and markings were lost in the 
black outline against the moon's light. It did not seem 
large enough for a Goshawk, the predatory bird that 
brings the family into disrepute, but size and distance 
are uncertain on the brightest night when the horizon 
