THREE FAMOUS GAME BIRDS 353 



the most wary of all, belongs to a family of shore birds 

 who patter about the water's edge ; but he does not 

 often go in wading, and prefers seclusion in the woods 

 that border swamps. He is a worm and grub eater 

 who, by the aid of his long straight bill, which has a 

 sensitive tip like your finger, can feel his food when 

 it is out of sight, and is able to probe the soft mud 

 for thinofs to eat that other birds cannot find. The 

 strangest thing about his bill is, that the upper half of 

 it can be bent at the end, almost as much as you can 

 crook the last joint of your fingers. Such a bill is of 

 the greatest assistance to him, as his eyes are set so far 

 in the back of his head that he cannot see what he 

 eats." 



"How queer!" said Nat; ''what is the reason for 

 that? I suppose there must be a reason ! " 



" This is it. By being placed far back in his head 

 his eyes become like two watch-towers, from which he 

 can scan the country behind as well as in front, and be 

 on the alert for enemies. Woodcocks are very cautious 

 birds, keeping w^ell hidden by day and feeding only 

 during the twilight hours or at night. 



" They do not pass the winter in the colder parts of 

 the country, and so escape the suffering that often 

 overtakes Bob White and the Ruffed Grouse. They 

 must be able to brave snowstorms, however, at the 

 latter end of the cold season ; for sometimes, Avhen 

 they begin to lay in early April, winter changes its 

 mind and comes back to give them a snow blanket." 



" You said that they are dancing birds," said Dodo. 

 " When do they dance ? " 



" They dance in the sky in spring and summer ! " 



