300 THE LIFE OF A BIRD. 



to chip the egg, surprise cannot but be felt that it 

 is actually possible for it to make its escape in the 

 awkward position in which it now presents itself. 

 The chick is completely bent on itself its feet 

 are bent upwards so as almost to touch the 

 head, which is bent downward toward the body ; 

 with the wings over it. Altogether it appears to 

 be most unfavourably circumstanced, and escape 

 by its own exertions is seemingly impossible. If 

 we were to place a man in such a position, his case 

 would be desperate indeed ; for it may be seriously 

 questioned whether the most expert burglar in 

 the world could succeed in effecting his liberation 

 if confined legs uppermost, his head resting on 

 his chest, covered by both arms, tightly wrapped in 

 a tough skin of parchment, and surrounded by a 

 thick wall of plaster of Paris ! 



Reaumur well observes, that the shell is a kind of 

 wall which must be broken through and pulled 

 down, and the bill is the instrument which is to 

 be used to break it : with the point of this the chick 

 strikes many repeated blows. The bill exhibits a 

 special structure fitting it for this express purpose, 

 which has been thus described by Mr. Yarrell. 

 "Upon the curved part of the upper mandible of the 



