224 



A YEAR WITH NATURE. 



BEAK OF HOOPOE. 



and feeding her during the 

 whole time of incubation till the 

 young one is fledged, is common 

 to several of the large Hornbills, 

 and is one of those strange 

 facts in Natural History which 

 are 'stranger than fiction.' 



Doubtless any lady readers 

 of this article will recognise 

 the beak of the Macaw as 



somewhat resembling that of their favourite *' Polly." It is indeed 

 a fine beak, and is of enormous size and strength, and enables 

 the Macaw to prepare for digestion the fruit of 

 a kind of palm abundant abroad in humid or 

 marshy places. 



Probably the most curious beak of any bird 

 which breeds at the present day in our own 

 beloved country is that of the Crossbill, which BEAK OF LATHAM > S 

 has bred, among other places, in Yorkshire BARBET. 



during the past Summer on the estate of a 

 gentleman who affords protection to our Wild Birds. It is 

 evident that the peculiar crossed bill of this 

 bird enables it to more easily extricate the 

 seeds of pine and other trees, which constitute 

 its food. 



With such a tool as the Woodpecker 

 ADJUTANT, possesses, it is small wonder the dexterity 

 with which a hole in a tree is hewn out by 

 these interesting birds, wherein to build the apology for a 

 nest. It is one of the most efficient instruments possible for 

 splitting and chipping bark or decayed 

 wood: immensely strong and thick at 

 its base, whence it narrows to a hard, 

 compressed tip which is abruptly squared 

 off, and sharp, like a minute chisel. 



The curious saw-like bill of the Curl- 

 Crested Aracaris looks very peculiar by 

 the side of some of the smaller beaks BEAK OF PELICAN , SHOWING 

 illustrated in this essay. The beak is POUCH CLOSED. 



BEAK OF 



