20 Oi'R Bird Friends. 



chisel-like ones of the Ojster-catcher the prising of 

 limpets oft" their native rocks. 



Swifts. Swallows, and Martins obtain their liveli- 

 hood bv dashing through the air at lightning speed 

 and seizing all the flies they can secure in their path. 

 On still summer evenino's I have often heard the 



o 



snap of their bills as they suddenly closed upon some 

 unfortunate victim. They occasionally mistake a 

 trout angler's artificial fly for the real thing, and, 

 seizing it, get hooked. Moorish ladies used to amuse 

 themselves by angling for Swifts Avith artificial flies 

 from the windows of their harems, and one can only 

 hope that they have now discovered some more 

 humane ]3astime. 



Other birds catch flies, but in a totally ditferent 

 way. The Pied and Spotted Flycatchers sit upon 

 some branch, post, or other coign of vantage, and 

 wait for winged insects to come their way, when they 



'. \\) 



take a short fluttering excursion into the air and 

 secure their prey, whilst appearing to be trying to 

 alight u23on something that is not in existence. 



