traver] STRUCTURE AND HABITS OF THE BIRD 403 



water, tosses the fish into the air and catches it as it falls. Some 

 water feeding birds, notably the flamingoes and herons, have very 

 long legs adapted for wading and such birds have a proportionately 

 long neck. In the flamingo, the mandible is bent downward to 

 form an efficient feeding instrument. Other fish eaters dive for 

 their prey, like the kingfisher, whose powerful beak and swift 

 flight few fish can escape; or the penguin, which pursues the fish 

 through its own element, and with great effectiveness. Still 

 another type of beak is provided for the oyster-catcher, that 

 interesting bird for whom a mollusc closed tightly over his bill has 

 no trerors. The ducks are interesting water feeders, some being 

 adapted to fish food, as the mergansers, others preferring a strictly 

 vegetable diet. The mergansers have long, narrow bills with 

 tooth like projections, while ducks have the typical duck like bill, 

 with a sort of sieve arrangement for straining food from the mud. 

 Correlated with structure of beak is structure of the whole body, 

 but especially the feet. A swimmer must needs have apparatus 

 to propel him through the waters, a wader long legs to keep him 

 from sinking too deeply into the mud. 



The insect-eating birds form a very large , varied and extremely 

 interesting group. Some birds are fitted for probing in damp 

 muck for their food. A very good example of this type is the wood- 

 cock, the upper mandible of whose bill is capable of moving out 

 from the lower one for some distance, to seek for insect larvae in 

 the mud, and sensitive, to feel those larvae when located. The 

 woodcock's eyes have also become adapted to the method of feed- 

 ing, being now almost on the top of the head. Swallows, swifts, 

 night hawks and some others fly circling through the air with 

 gaping mouths to receive all unwary insects. Flycatchers prefer 

 to let the insects come to them, so their feet are adapted for perch- 

 ing, their wings less strong for continued flight. Some insect 

 eaters seek their food on the surface of the ground, turning over 

 leaves and rubbish with beak or feet, or pulling the insects from 

 their homes in the earth. A very important type of insect eaters 

 seek their food on the trunks and branches of trees. Here belong 

 the nuthatches, creepers, woodpeckers, and some others. The 

 creepers and woodpeckers are especially adapted for such a life 

 by modifications of tail as a prop, feet to cling to the bark, and bill 

 to search out the insect prey. The woodpecker's bill is a drill, his 

 tongue the ever-capable sucker for hidden meals. 



