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Lesson 23 |
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Bird flight |
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What are the two main types of bird flight described by the author? |
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No two sorts of birds practise quite the same sort of flight; |
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the varieties are infinite; but two classes may be roughly seen. |
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Any ship that crosses the Pacific |
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is accompanied for many days by the smaller albatross, |
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which may keep company with the vessel for an hour |
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without visible or more than occasional movement of wing. |
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The currents of air that the walls of the ship direct upwards, |
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as well as in the line of its course, |
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are enough to give the great bird with its immense wings |
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sufficient sustenance and progress. |
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The albatross is the king of the gliders, |
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the class of fliers which harness the air to their purpose, |
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but must yield to its opposition. |
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In the contrary school, the duck is supreme. |
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It comes nearer to the engines with which man has 'conquered' the air, as he boasts. |
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Duck, and like them the pigeons, are endowed with steel-like muscles, |
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that are a good part of the weight of the bird, |
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and these will ply the short wings with such irresistible power |
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that they can bore for long distances through an opposing gale |
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before exhaustion follows. |
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Their humbler followers, such as partridges, |
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have a like power of strong propulsion, but soon tire. |
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You may pick them up in utter exhaustion, |
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if wind over the sea has driven them to a long journey. |
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The swallow shares the virtues of both schools in highest measure. |
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It tires not, nor does it boast of its power; but belongs to the air |
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travelling it may be six thousand miles to and from its northern nesting home, |
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feeding its flown young as it flies, and slipping through a medium |
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that seems to help its passage even when the wind is adverse. |
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Such birds do us good, |
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though we no longer take omens from their flight on this side and that; |
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and even the most superstitious villagers |
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no longer take off their hats to the magpie and wish it good-morning. |
