254 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [CHAP. XXXIIT. 



Look, too, at the eggs of lapwings and of all those birds that 

 hatch on the bare ground. Those that lay on fields have their 

 eggs of a brownish green, while those that lay on the stones and 

 pebbles have them of a sandy and brown mottled colour, so like 

 the substances which surround them, that it is most difficult for 

 the passer by to distinguish the egg from the stone. In the same 

 manner the young of all birds which live on the ground resemble 

 the ground itself in colour, thereby eluding many of their 

 enemies. Look also at the birds whose residence and food arc 

 placed in the marshes and swamps the woodcocks and snipes, 

 for example, who feed by thrusting their bills into the soft mud 

 for the purpose of picking out the minute red worms and animal- 

 cules which abound in it, have the bill peculiarly adapted for 

 this purpose. The upper mandible has a kind of nob at the end, 

 which overlaps the under mandible, and not only prevents its 

 being injured, but makes it quite easy for the bird to pass its bill 

 both into and out of the ground without obstruction. How 

 peculiarly well the bill of these birds is adapted for this purpose 

 is perceived at once by drawing it through the fingers. The end 

 of the mandible, too, is full of nerves, which enables the bird 

 to distinguish the soft and minute substances on which it feeds 

 without seeing them. The oyster-catcher, which feeds on shell- 

 fish and similar food, has a bill with hard, sharp points, with 

 which it can dig into and break the strong coverings of its prey ; 

 no tool could be made to answer the purpose better. The cur- 

 lew's long curved bill is also a perfect implement for worming out 

 the sea-slugs, which it extracts from the wet sands. The birds 

 that live chiefly on the insects and water-plants which are found 

 in swamps and muddy places have their feet of great size and 

 length, which enables them to walk and run over muddy and 

 soft places without sinking. The water-hen and water- rail, 

 indeed, often run along the floating leaves of the water-plants 

 without bearing them down by their weight. The bald coot, 

 too, a bird that lives almost wholly in muddy places, "has its feet 

 and toes formed purposely for running on a soft surface. How 

 different from the strongly retractile talons of the hawk and owl, 

 made purposely to seize and hold their struggling prey. 



Thus also the beak of these carnivorous birds is formed for 

 tearing and rending, while the strong wedge-shaped mandibles 



