BIRD NOTES 79 



and at once I could see by the markings it was a 

 Curlew ; and by the odd way it hopped, I could see 

 one leg was hopelessly shattered by a gunshot. 

 The discoloration on the "face"" was nothing else 

 but mud that had besmeared it as, while probing 

 for its prey, the bill was thrust still deeper into 

 the mud by the poor bird's efforts to steady itself. 

 The rapidity with which wounded limbs heal is 

 remarkable ; and it is equally astonishing how 

 fractures and damages to limbs, that would entirely 

 incapacitate human beings, do not very apparently 

 inconvenience the bird, otherwise than in its pursuit 

 of food. Surely pain must be felt in so highly 

 organised a creature ? 



DEARLY LEARNT WIT 



Birds are slow to change old habits or forsake old 

 haunts, nor do they appear to be readily taught to 

 profit by accidents. They lack, too, the faculty of 

 observation, although usually very wary and ready 

 to shun apparent dangers. Starlings are seldom 

 caught napping, and after a few repeated onslaughts 

 by a gunner will give him some trouble to get a 

 tolerably good shot at them in the open. Extreme 



