EVERY-DAY LIFE. 
261 
observed in all their actions. The sportsman can always 
approach birds much closer in fine sunny weather than 
when it is dull and windy, the only exception being in 
heavy drifting storms of rain or snow, when they seem 
obliged, against their will, to allow anything and every¬ 
thing to pass over them; on such occasions they sometimes 
lie so close as to allow themselves to be taken by the 
hand. Under such circumstances they will not even 
seek for food. Enough, however, on this subject; let us 
still further examine the bird’s daily life in more favour¬ 
able weather. 
In the afternoon a highly important operation is 
alluded to, namely, that of the toilet. I have already 
mentioned the almost universal cleanliness of birds in 
their habits; the following species may, however, perhaps 
be regarded as exceptions to the general rule: Wood¬ 
peckers smear themselves with gum and turpentine; 
Tree-creepers dirty their plumage against wet limbs of 
trees; Vultures are, for a short time, soiled with 
blood and filth; and the legs of the Marabou Storks 
are coated in a similar manner. But cleanliness calls 
for much care and trouble, and, indeed, few minutes are 
allowed to pass without the bird preening and cleaning 
itself. Besides this it regularly makes its entire toilet 
once a day, and takes a bath, either a wet or dry one. 
The dry bath, which consists of paddling in sand or dust, 
supplies the place of a wet one, in the case of most, 
if not all, land-birds, and is a capital defence against the 
attacks of vermin. Our domestic Fowls, as well as all 
other members of the Gallinaceous order, only make use 
of the first of these baths, and afford us ample opportunity 
for observing this method of cleansing themselves. Under 
thick bushes, in dusty cart-sheds, or, indeed, in any sandy 
2 n 
