222 



A YEAR WITH NATURE. 



BEAK OF MAMO. 



viewing them in some Zoological collection. The length of 

 its stilt-like legs, its gigantic neck, the comparative smallness 

 of the body and its peculiar beak, all add to the striking 

 curiosity which invariably calls forth the remark from the 

 onlooker, " Well ! What an extraordinary 

 bird ! " 



Its long legs enable it to wade in 

 pretty deep waters, the neck permits it 

 to search a wide radius without moving 

 its legs, and whatever it has captured 

 stands a poor chance of escape when in 

 the firm grasp of the powerful bill. Most 



people are acquainted with birds sitting in or on a nest whilst 

 the important period of incubation is in progress, but the 

 Flamingo rests upon a hillock in the marshes in a standing 

 attitude, with the feet on the marshy ground, or even in the water. 

 The beak of the Woodcock I have illustrated for the 

 purpose of showing an almost straight 

 one, but slightly curved at the extremity. 

 As is, perhaps, well known to my readers, 

 this bird breeds regularly in the British 

 Isles, a remark which similarly applies to 

 the next bird dealt with. 



A beak to be proud of, I always think, 

 is that of the Curlew, which, it will be 

 noticed, is gradually curved the whole length 



a variation from that of the Woodcock which is extremely 

 interesting. A curious fact regarding some of these birds is 

 that on the South coast there is a little group of females 

 and males which never breed. Parental care or matrimony 



is evidently an experiment which 

 these particular birds do not care 

 to undertake. 



Our next is indeed a curious 

 beak, and a curious-looking bird 

 altogether. The structure of the 

 Puffin's beak is yet another example 

 of the wondrous workings of Nature, 

 BEAK OF MACAW. for it is nearly as deep as long, 



BEAK OF RHINOCEROS 

 HORNBILL. 



