THE CRANE KIND. 183 



downy covering, reaching so low as the birds of any other class. 

 Such a covering there would rather be prejudicial, as being continual- 

 ly liable to get wet in the water. 



As these birds are usually employed rather in running than in fly- 

 ing, and as their food lies entirely upon the ground, and not on trees, 

 or in the air, so they run with great swiftness for their size, and the 

 length of their legs assist their velocity. But as in seeking theii 

 food, they are often obliged to change their station ; so also are the) 

 equally swift of wing, and traverse immense tracts of country without 

 much fatigue. 



It has been thought by some, that a part of this class lived upon 

 an oily slime, found in the bottoms of ditches and of weedy pools ; 

 they were thence termed by Willoughby, Mudsuckers. But later dis- 

 coveries have shown that in these places, they hunt for the caterpil- 

 lars and worms of insects. From hence, therefore, we may generally 

 assert, that all birds of this class live upon animals of one kind or an- 

 other. The long-billed birds suck up worms and insects from the 

 bottom ; those furnished with shorter bills, pick up such insects as 

 lie nearer the surface of the meadow, or among the sands on the sea- 

 shore. 



Thus the curlew, the woodcock, and the snipe, are ever seen in 

 plashy brakes, and under covered hedges, assiduously employed in 

 seeking out insects in their worm state ; and it seems, from their fat- 

 ness, that they find a plentiful supply. Nature, indeed, has furnished 

 them with very convenient instruments for procuring their food. 

 Their bills are made sufficiently long for searching ; but still more, 

 they are endowed with an exquisite sensibility at the point, for feel- 

 ing their provision. They are furnished with no less than three pair 

 of nerves, equal almost to the optic nerves in thickness, which pass 

 from the roof of the mouth, and run along the upper chap to the 

 point. 



Nor are those birds with shorter bills, and destitute of such con- 

 venient instruments, without a proper provision made for their sub- 

 sistence. The lapwing, the sandpiper, and the redshank run with sur- 

 prising rapidity along the surface of the marsh, or the sea-shore, quar- 

 ter their ground with great dexterity, and leave nothing of the insect 

 kind that happens to lie on the surface. These, however, are neither 

 so fat nor so delicate as the former, as they are obliged to toil more 

 for a subsistence ; they are easily satisfied with whatever offers, and 

 their flesh often contracts a relish from what has been their latest, or 

 their principal food. 



Most of the birds formerly described, have stated seasons for feed- 

 ing and rest : the eagle kind prowl by day, and at evening repose ; 

 the owl by night, and keeps unseen in the day-time ; but these birds, 

 of the crane kind, seem at all hours employed ; they are seldom at 

 rest by day ; and during the whole night season, every meadow and 

 -narsh resounds with their different calls, to courtship or to food. 



This seems to be the time when they least fear interruption from 

 man ; and though they fly at all times, yet at this season they appear 

 more assiduously employed, both in providing for their present sup- 

 uort, and continuing that of posterity. This is usually the season 



