338 THE PLOVER. 



his palate, naturally of a bright yellow colour, appears covered 

 with a blackish -brown crust. Then it is that this little 

 Plover, which lives on these insects, comes to the aid of the 

 half- choked crocodile, and relieves him of his tormentors ; 

 and this without any risk, as the crocodile, before shutting 

 his mouth, takes care, by a preparatory movement, to warn 

 the bird to be off. This singular process is, moreover, not 

 confined to the crocodiles of Egypt : it has been noticed in 

 those of the West Indies, where, when attacked in a similar 

 manner by small flies, called Maringouins, a little bird (Todus 

 viridis), which lives chiefly on flies and insects, performs the 

 same kind office. 



In the above cases, the food of the bird is said to be flies, 

 but there is good reason for believing that perfect reliance 

 may be placed on the account of Herodotus, and that leeches 

 and insects are the objects sought for ; as a letter from a 

 gentleman in Calcutta was read at a late meeting of the 

 Linnsean Society in London, describing certain leeches which 

 had been taken from the throat of a large alligator (which 

 are also found to infest the throat of the gigantic Crane, or 

 Hurgila, already mentioned) : these leeches were of various 

 sizes, some exceedingly minute, of a florid red when alive, 

 semi-transparent, and thus showing the blood they had 

 swallowed. 



In some parts of France, where Plovers fly in large 

 flocks, they are decoyed into nets spread on the ground 

 by the playing of a looking-glass, which attracts their 

 notice, with the addition of some stuffed birds, and here 

 and there a live one intermixed. In another part they 

 are hunted at night with torches, the light of which attracts 

 them. 



Woodcocks and Snipes are too well known to require 

 description, as far as their outward appearance is con- 

 cerned. But in their habits, and more particularly in the 

 migrations of the former, there is much to excite our 

 curiosity. With few exceptions, other birds manifest a fond- 

 ness for each other's society ; and even if they do not fly in 

 flocks, may be found associating together, as if they disliked 

 a lonely, solitary life. Not so the Woodcock and the Snipe ; 



