254 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [cmap. xxx, 
Look, tuo, 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 are 
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 billis alsoa 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 tor 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 
