144 



THE INHABITANTS OF THE SEA. 



haustible supplies. 



been shot at, feigned to be wounded, and with hanging wing, 

 diverted them from the right track. 



The strand-birds of the high northern 

 regions fly from the winter to coasts 

 where milder winds are blowing. But 

 as soon as the summer's sun begins to 

 exert its power, the desert shores of 

 the Arctic Ocean become animated 

 with swarms of plovers, sand-pipers, 

 rails, herons, and phalaropes, to whom 

 the thawed strand opens its inex- 

 Soon, however, the approach of winter 

 hardens once more the soil, want follows upon abundance, 

 and the whole long-legged host hastens 

 to abandon the ice-bound strand, which 

 opposes an impenetrable armour to their 

 beaks. 



The food of the different kinds of strand- 

 birds varies, and consequently their bills 

 are variously formed. Those that live upon 

 worms have generally a long thin awl- 

 shaped bill, well fitted for picking their 

 prey out of the soft muddy or sandy soil. 

 If the small creatures conceal themselves 

 under large stones, they are secure from 

 these attacks; but then comes the Turn-stone, (Tringa in- 

 terpres,) who with his bill, a little turned up at the top, raises 

 the stone as with a lever, and makes sad havoc amongst the 

 defenceless garrison. 



The Sea-pie uses its wedge-shaped bill for opening shell-fish 

 with great adroitness ; but the industry 

 of the Black Skimmer or Cut-water, 

 (Rhynchops nigra,) is still more 

 remarkable. The bill of this bird, 

 which chiefly inhabits the hot coasts 

 of America, is quite unique in its 

 kind ; the under mandible, which is 

 in fact nothing but a wedge, being 

 about an inch longer than the upper 

 one, by which it is clasped. The sandy beach of Penco, says 



Plover. 



Scisaor-bill (Khynchops nigra). 



