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Twice or three times it swung directly above our heads, and
at the height at which it now evoluted we could plainly distinguish the
downward curve of its wing-planes and the peculiar droop of the rudder
--both things that marked it for an army model. We could also make out
the black cross painted on its belly as a further distinguishing mark.
To me a monoplane always suggests a bird when it does not suggest an
insect or a winged reptile; and this monoplane particularly suggested
the bird type. The simile which occurred to me was that of the bird
which guards the African rhinoceros; after that it was doubly easy to
conceive of this army as a rhinoceros, having all the brute strength and
brute force which are a part of that creature, and its well-armored
sides and massive legs and deadly horned head; and finally its peculiar
fancy for charging straight at its objective target, trampling down all
obstacles in the way.
The Germans also fancy their monoplane as a bird; but they call it
Taube--a dove.


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