Part 38

“No,” you say, “of course not.” But let us see. Are all beaks alike? Think. “No,” you say, “they are not alike.” The duck’s bill is flat, and soft, and spoon-shaped. The parrot’s bill is hard, not wide, but high. The upper part bends over the under. It is curved like a hooked nose.

The hen has a much smaller beak; it is thick, short, hard, pointed. The two parts join evenly. The swallow has a very short, pointed bill. It can open its mouth very wide. It is a three-cornered bill,--like a triangle in shape. But the humming-bird has a very long, slim bill; almost as slim as a knitting-needle.

Once I saw a kingfisher. He had a thick, strong bill. It was nearly as large as his body. I wondered how he could carry it. In a museum I saw a bird with a bill as wide as my hand, and longer. It looked heavy enough to make the bird fall down.

Now I think you have told me a good many things about beaks. Let us take a little look at them, and see what kinds of feet go with them. How does the duck live? He lives mostly in the water. On land, if he walks, he waddles, but he swims with grace.

He dives down in the water, thrusts his bill into the mud, and feels about for things to eat. There, you see, he needs a wide bill, shaped like a spoon, or shovel. He does not need a very hard bill, as mud is soft. But he needs a bill that can feel the right kind of food, and pick it up, just as your fingers feel things for which you search in a bag.

Now what kind of feet has a duck? It has large feet, with three long front toes, and one short hind toe, rather high up on the foot. What you notice in the feet is a web, or skin, joining the toes together quite up to the nail.

Have you watched the duck in the water? Have you seen him use these webbed feet for paddles? Now the swimming birds, to which ducks, geese, and swans belong, all have webbed feet. They all have the broad, flat, rather soft bill.

Thus, when you find a wide full-webbed foot, you say, “This bird was built for swimming. It had a light, wide body, shaped much like a boat. Its feet were its paddles. Its wings were not very large. It had very thick feathers, to keep it warm. They were oily to keep it dry. It fed on water plants, seeds, grain, and things that it found in the mud.”

Sometimes you will find the beak of a swimming bird telling a different story. It will be a very strong beak, with notches along it. It is a fish-eating swimmer. Its rough bill is to hold fast to the slippery fish.

Then, too, you may find webbed feet which have a new story to tell. You may find a webbed foot, quite small, with a very long leg. The web goes only part way to the toe nail. That bird could not swim. No. He was a wading bird.

His long stilt-like legs held his body above the water, while he watched for his fish food. The webs in his feet served, not to make him a paddle-foot, but just to keep him from sinking in the soft sand or mud. Or you may find the webs changed to broad flaps on each toe.

Now turn to the hen. Is her beak made for digging in mud, under water? No. Her short, strong beak is for picking up grain or insects from the ground. Now see what feet she has to match this beak. She has walking feet. Her feet are large and strong, with separate toes and strong nails. How does she use her feet? She spends nearly all her time scratching and digging in the ground. She scratches up the earth with her toes. She finds insects, worms, larvæ, and such things, to eat.

Once more look at a beak. Take the swallow’s short, wide, widely opening beak. Watch the swallow as he flies. Now up, now down! Now here, now there! He wheels, he makes a dash! He feeds upon the wing. He eats insects. See that short, broad mouth, which opens as wide as his whole head, and shows his big yellow throat. Is it not just the thing for catching insects?

The swallow sweeps after the insect, and into that open throat it goes! What story will this beak tell?

The story of a bird made for flying fast and far. The story of a bird built to wheel and turn quickly. It must have large wings, a very light body. As its head is so wide, it must be flat, or it will be too large.

This bird does not need to walk. Its food is in the air. Its legs and feet will be very small. Its toes will be long, and made for holding or clinging to trees or roofs. Its feathers must be close set; and its tail be well shaped for a rudder.

Suppose some one shows you the foot of an ostrich. It is a huge foot, with two great toes. You will say at once “that is a walking foot.” It is not to be carried into the air. These great toes are not for digging, but for walking or running.

Look at the soles of these toes. They are cushioned or padded thick. That bird must live where the soil is soft, and these padded feet will keep him from sinking. Yes, he lived on the desert sand. He is the largest bird in the world. He can run faster than a horse. Such a bird could not be lifted into the air on wings. He has short, stout wings, which he flaps as he runs, and as they have large feathers on them, they catch the air as sails do, and so help him along.

His bill is like a huge hen’s bill. He eats melons, grass, and grain.

These are some of the stories told by beaks and feet.

LESSON XXX.

TREE, GROUND, AND WATER BIRDS.

In old times they told fables of birds which had no feet, and lived always on the wing. There are no such birds. All birds have feet, all rest from flying. But the motion of flying is so beautiful and easy, that it is no wonder that birds of strong flight are much upon the wing.

The eagle and hawk families are very swift of flight, and spend most of their time mounting and wheeling. They are keen of sight, and from great heights will see their prey, and swoop down upon it.

The swallow family seems never tired of flying. They feed upon the wing. The tiny humming-birds move their wings so quickly, you cannot see them. They hover with this motion while they drink honey from flowers. They are very seldom seen resting.

Pigeons are among our swiftest birds. Have you noticed how thirsty pigeons are? That is because they are very hot blooded. They need much hot blood to warm up in their lungs the air which they drive through their hollow bones. Thus they make a kind of balloon of their bodies. The pigeon’s body helps to keep it up in the air.

Many of the birds that live much on the wing build their nests on or in trees. I shall tell you a little of nests in another lesson. Now we will speak of one or two tree-living birds.

The butcher bird, or shrike, is about the size of a robin. It is a pretty bird, gray or brown in color. Its food is living things, as beetles, bees, mice, and young birds. It has a very curious habit. It brings home part of its food, and hangs it on a thorn near its nest.