THE NIDIOLOGIST 



133 



The Bills of Birds. 



As a rule, there is no other single feature 

 of a bird that can give so good a clew to 

 the bird's character and habits as the 

 bill. Of course other members — feet, wings, 

 tail, neck, etc. — all tell their story to the 

 Ornithologist; but, for the general observer, 

 the bill is the most important index of them 

 all. The reason for this is, that the bill 

 serves a variety of purposes, and hence must 

 be accurately adapted in size, shape, and 

 strength to the needs of the particular bird to 

 which it belongs. It must, in the first in- 

 stance, be so constructed as best to secure the 

 food of the bird and prepare it for swallowing; 

 and for the most part it must do this without 

 direct assistance, though in few instances — as 

 among Hawks, Parrots, and Crows- — the claws 

 and wings are so constructed as to aid it in 

 this task. It must take the place of hands in 

 the all-important matter of nest making; it is 

 usually the sole offensive or defensive weapon 

 with which the bird is provided; and, while 



Fulfilling such varied functions, it is not 

 strange that the bill should prestnt a very 

 different appearance in different families of 



1. HORNED GREBE. '5. BLACK SKIMMER. 



2. RED-THROATED LOON. 6.. CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 



3. PUFFIN. 7 & 8. SHOVELER DUCK. 



4. FULMAR.^ g, SNOW GOOSE. 



10. KING EIDER. 



adapted to all these ends, it must still be of 

 such size and shape as not to interfere with 

 the bird's movements. 



I. 



CAROLINA PAROQUET. 



6. 



. CHIMNEY SWIFT. 



2. 



SWORD-BILLED HUM- 



7- 



YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOj 





MING BIRD. 



8. 



BELTED KINGFISHER. 



i- 



RUBY-THROATED. HUM- 



Q- 



YELLOW-BELLIED WOOD- 





MING BIRD. 





PECKER. 



4- 



NIGHTHAWK. 



10. 



GOLDEN-WINGED WOOD- 



5- 



WHIP-POOR-WILL, 





PECKER. 



II.- TYRANT FLY-CATCHER. 



birds. Contrast, for example, the bill of a 

 'I'oucan with that of an Ostrich, remembering 

 that the Toucan himiself, without his bill, is 

 about a foot long, while the Ostrich is six or 

 seven feet tall. Or, selecting two birds of 

 about the same size, note the difference between 

 the long, slender probe of the Curlew and the 

 stubby mandibles of the Grouse. The Pelican 

 and the Swan furnish another striking con- 

 trast. Again, the Sword-billed Hummingbird 

 and the Bank Swallow are birds not unlike in 

 size and general conformation, but the Hum- 

 mer's bill is about twenty times as long as the 

 Swallow's. Less marked but still striking 

 contrasts are shown by a great many of our 

 birds, and are often of aid to the field Ornith- 

 ologist in identifying specimens. Almost any 

 d ly in the later spring- 

 time you come upon a 

 bird in the woods that 

 you think may be either a 

 Fox Sparrow or a Hermit 

 Thrush, and perhaps you 

 will not be able to decide 

 which of the two it is 

 until you mark the out- 

 line of the bill, when all 

 doubt will at once vanish. 



RHINOCEROS HORN-BILL. 



