Longbill and Teeter 



Longbill chuckled. "That's easy," said he. 

 "I've got the handiest bill that ever was. See 

 here !" Longbill suddenly thrust his bill straight 

 out in front of him and to Peter's astonishment he 

 lifted the end of the upper half without opening 

 the rest of his bill at all. "That's the way I get 

 them," said he. "I can feel them when I reach 

 them, and then I just open the tip of my bill and 

 grab them. I think there is one right under my 

 feet now ; watch me get him." Longbill bored 

 into the ground until his head was almost against 

 it. When he pulled his bill out, sure enough, 

 there was a worm. "Of course," explained Long- 

 bill, "it is only in soft ground that I can do this. 

 That is why I have to fly away south as soon as 

 the ground freezes at all." 



"It's wonderful," sighed Peter. "I don't sup- 

 pose any one else can find hidden worms that way." 



"My cousin, Jack Snipe, can," replied Long- 

 bill promptly. "He feeds the same way I do, 

 only he likes marshy meadows instead of brushy 

 swamps. Perhaps you know him." 



Peter nodded. "I do," said he. "Now you 

 speak of it, there is a strong family resemblance, 

 although I hadn't thought of him as a relative of 

 yours before. Now I must be running along. 

 I'm ever so glad to have seen you, and I'm com- 

 ing over to call again the first chance I get." 

 [65] 



