for he pressed close to the fence and walked snorting all along it until I turned southward across a field. Looking up, I noticed that the clouds, from a misty appearance, were now becoming dappled and I knew that by some strange atmospheric change, that it would not rain. Rain never falls from dappled clouds. While I was looking I saw two birds circling overhead, which, by their cry, I knew to be the same birds I had seen earlier. I was watching them idly when suddenly they shot straight and swiftly to earth. Usually birds when they are about to alight slacken speed and balance themselves momentarily with fluttering outspread wings, and then slowly settle to the ground or tree, as the case happens to be. These birds however, shot straight down to earth, with wings closely pressed against their sides. Hoping to catch a close view of them, I proceeded cautiously in the direction where I saw them fall, scanning the ground closely. I had almost given up hope when one flew up; but instead of flying far away, he settled down not far from me. I slowly walked toward him until I was quite near.  As his attitude was constantly that of a bird about to start up I paused to examine him. His head was small and neck long; body slim and