VARIOUS FORMS OF BEAKS. 409 



cut, and hold very firmly while the bird tugs and 

 tears at its prey. It has been appropriately cha- 

 racterised as " a very serviceable bill, a bill-of-all- 

 work, as it were ; and, when properly examined, it 

 is found to answer well with the carnivorous habit 

 of the owner." The raven is thus furnished, and 

 being a denizen of many parts of the world, he is 

 well qualified to obtain food of all kinds, and 

 whichever may happen to be the most abundant. 

 The bill with which he is furnished enables him 

 under a variety of different circumstances to ob- 

 tain an adequate supply of the food he requires. 



In other birds the bill becomes larger, is with- 

 out a hook, and is very 

 strong and cutting. In the 

 herons this form of bill is 

 straight, but in the ibis it is 

 curved downwards, while in 

 the avocet it is curved up- 

 wards. Both these singular 

 varieties in the form of the 

 bill are adapted to the pecu- 

 liar habits of the herons, ibis, 

 aud avocet, in their search 

 after food. The bills of the 



