176 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



and motionless, their heads all turned in the same 

 direction — "eyes front," as if awaiting the word of 

 command from some recognised leader or director. 

 Then some one growing impatient nutters his wings, 

 the whole flock is stirred and moved, and the birds, 

 rising one after the other in regular order, fall 

 into wedge-shaped rank and file, and so-wise fly 

 smartly and swiftly to their retiring-grounds. Be it 

 observed that with birds the work of flying is not 

 nearly so arduous or so exhausting as might at first 

 sight be supposed. An examination of the wing 

 muscles, the structure of the wings themselves, the 

 mechanical manner of their operation, the amount of 

 resistance to be overcome, &c, invincibly demonstrate 

 this fact. And if we carefully review a flying flock of 

 birds, and observe how, when once set a-going, they 

 all can sustain an equal place and vigour, all the while 

 mutually uttering notes of affection and sympathy, 

 none lagging behind the others, or seemingly more 

 wearied or harassed than his neighbour, but all, old 



admirable provision of nature that there exists some 

 active and enterprising consumer of sea-animals 

 which, more than any other, emit when in the state 

 of carrion a most vile and offensive odour. 



A circumstance about the oyster-catcher sufficient 

 to stagger a teleologist is that when in extremity the 

 bird, although unprovided with webbed feet, can 

 nevertheless swim, and even dive with great dexterity. 

 On one occasion, it dived repeatedly for the course 

 of half an hour, thereby evincing a robustness of 

 native vigour, and an exceeding tenacity of life which 

 indeed might be expected, considering the insatiable 

 appetite of the creature. Very conspicuous and 

 picturesque is the adult apparel of this bird. The 

 bill is vermilion, the feet purplish-red, the head, 

 neck, fore part of back and wings and the terminal 

 half of the tail are black ; the rest of the body (which 

 measures 1 7in. by 35m.) is white. The shape and tex- 

 ture of the bill are admirably adapted to, and eminently 

 competent for, the manipulation of limpets, cockles, 



Fig. 95.— Oyst;:-:atcher (I'amata/us osira.legits). 



and young, strictly preserving their allotted place and 

 relative position, we perforce conclude that they do 

 not experience much difficulty in acting thus-wise. 

 The beautiful performances of these congregated 

 bands of shore-birds might be similarly explained. 

 The magnificent ascent of the heron we have already 

 alluded to ; and the exquisitely beautiful gyrations of 

 a prodigious company of dunlins forms one of the 

 most impressive features of wild seaboard scenery. 



The amount of food which the oyster-catcher is 

 able to consume is prodigious. Forty-one limpets 

 have been found in the stomach of one whom we 

 might say had "had a good dinner." They exhibit 

 a most noteworthy dexterity in the unshelling of 

 mollusca ; and many a bungling conchologist has 

 been put to shame by their clever feats in this line. 

 Garden snails, slugs, and earthworms are exceedingly 

 relished by these insatiable creatures. In fact, their 

 chief business in life would seem to be to devour as 

 much eatables as possible ; and no doubt it is an 



Fig. 96. — The Curlew (Numenius arquatus). 



acorn-shells, bivalves, &c. It is long, slightly bent 

 upwards beyond the middle, pentagonal in shape 

 and about as high as it is broad at the base ; beyond 

 the middle it is extremely compressed, enlarging 

 in front of the nasal groove, then gradually sloping 

 to the extremity, which is blunt and abrupt, but as 

 hard as ivory. 



THE MEDUSA AQUARIUM. 



IN the early summer months we know of no occu- 

 pation so pleasant as the study of the pretty 

 Cydippe. By those who reside on tidal rivers, or by 

 the seaside, it is easily pursued. All the requisites 

 necessary for its successful pursuit is a large china 

 coffee cup, and a tin, to hold about half a gallon of 

 clear sea-water. To attempt their capture by means 

 of fancy nets on long canes is worse than useless. 



