20 STORIES OF BIRDS AND BEASTS 



lips and teeth. I want you to learn from this how 

 many things are really alike in Bird People and House 

 People, though they look so different at first sight. 

 When we come to the bird stories, you will find that 

 birds differ very much among themselves in all these 

 things. I will show you all sorts of beaks, of different 

 sizes and shapes. Here are pictures of several kinds of 

 beaks see how much they differ in shape ! But they 

 are all beaks, and all beaks are mouths. They all 

 answer the same purposes in birds' lives, and the pur- 

 poses are the same as those of our mouths. But now, 

 what do you notice about this Sparrow's feet? " 



" They are not a bit like my feet," said Dodo ; " they 

 are so long and slim and hard, and the toes stick out 

 so all around. I think mine are nicer." 



"But they would not be so useful as this Sparrow's if 

 you had to live in a bush and hop about on the twigs," 

 said the Doctor. u The bird's feet are fixed as nicely 

 for that, as yours are for walking on the ground. I 

 can show you, too, little girl, that a Sparrow's feet 

 are a great deal more like yours than you think. 

 Come, Rap ! Tell me what you see about this bird's 

 feet." 



" Why, they are the ends of its legs, and there is a 

 long slim part beyond the feathers, hard and horny 

 like the beak, and at the end of this are four toes, 

 three in front and one behind, and they've all sharp 

 claws on their ends." 



" Very well said, my boy ! Now I will show you 

 that such feet as the Sparrow has are as much like 

 Dodo's as a Sparrow's beak is like her mouth. Begin 

 witV the claws " 



