96 



Our Bird Friexds. 



bodies render tlieiii strangely suggestive ot winged 

 niggers. 



A good covering of down serves other purposes 

 sometimes besides keeping its wearer warm and 

 protecting it from discovery by matching in color- 

 ation with natural surroundings : it acts the part of 



li.VliV CLULi:\Y (//. 9J). 



a useful buffer \\\ the case of an accich'Utal fall. ( )n 

 one occasion 1 saw a baby Oyster Catcher fall off 

 a ledge ten feet in height and jump up aud run 

 away as if nothing whatever had happened directly 

 it reached the rough stones below. The little 

 creature could not have stood more than three 

 inches in height, and yet fell one hundred and 



