254 BRITISH BIRDS. 



flexible, and this is well shown as the bird yawns, when 

 the last inch or so of the upper mandible is raised upwards. 

 This movement is thought to be effected by the 

 endotympanic muscle first described in 1748 by Herissant* 

 who, however, did not realise its function. Later the 

 movement of the bill was described and figured in Bronn's 

 "Thier Reich" (Taf IV., fig. 1). Mr. Pycraftf has observed 

 the same thing in the Dunlin, and Dr. R. W. Shufeld,{ 

 in Wilson's Snipe and the American Woodcock. It would 

 appear that in all the Trochili and Scolopacidce the anterior 

 part only of the upper mandible is movable.§ Mr. W. H. 

 Workman 1 1 has written a paper on this subject, and has 

 proved the endotympanic to be especially well developed 

 in this species, and suggests that it acts by pulling the 

 quadrate and maxillary bones forward, thus tilting the 

 premaxillary upv/ards, which then gives at its most flexible 

 portion, situated one inch from the tip of the bill. The 

 use of this movement is obvious, in that it enables the 

 bird when probing to grasp a worm underground, without 

 even opening its bill, so that the tongue can draw the 

 prey into the mouth. The flexibility of " John's " bill can 

 also be noticed when he is trying to take a worm off a- 

 hard flat surface, for then the tip of the upper mandible 

 bends downwards. 



His food, now that maggots are not procurable, 

 consists entirely of worms, though. I am endeavour- 

 ing to teach him to eat raAV liver, for worms will be 

 very difficult to obtain during prolonged frost. He 

 feeds entirely by " feel," being unable to see a worm right 

 under him, but if one is placed two or three inches in front 

 of him, he catches sight of it at once and walks up to it, 

 then feels about with his bill until he touches it, when it 

 is instantly swallowed. This shows the sensibility of the 

 bill. He can also instantly distinguish between raw 

 liver and a worm as soon as they come in contact with his 



* "Histoirede FAcademie des Sciences," 1748, pp. 345-386. 



t "Ibis," 1893, p. 361. t "Ibis," 1893, p. 563. 



§ Gadow, "Diet. Birds," p. 877. || "Ibis," 1907, p. 614. 



