. The animal creation: a popular introduction to zoology. Zoology. AVADING BIRDS. 455 length; the end of the upper mandible projects beyond the lower, and the toes are webbed near their bases. The Common Curlew of our coast has been named from its peculiar cry; its flesh is some- times eaten, but it makes a very inditierent apology for game. The family of Snipes {Scolopaddx) have the bill straight, and the nostrils prolonged by grooves until very near the tip, which is slightly enlarged, and projects a little beyond the lower JjIG. 3»4 —W OODCUCK. The extremity of tlie bill in these
. The animal creation: a popular introduction to zoology. Zoology. AVADING BIRDS. 455 length; the end of the upper mandible projects beyond the lower, and the toes are webbed near their bases. The Common Curlew of our coast has been named from its peculiar cry; its flesh is some- times eaten, but it makes a very inditierent apology for game. The family of Snipes {Scolopaddx) have the bill straight, and the nostrils prolonged by grooves until very near the tip, which is slightly enlarged, and projects a little beyond the lower JjIG. 3»4 —W OODCUCK. The extremity of tlie bill in these birds is soft and very sensitive. Their feet have no traces of a web; all of them have their head more or less flattened, and their great eyes placed very far back, giving them the appearance of being veiy stupid, and indeed their habits quite agree in this respect with their physiognomy. The Woodcock (Scolopax riisticola) and the Common Snipe (*S^. Gallinago) are well-known examples of this extensive family, as are the Turnstones {Strepselas). Many of these birds migrate at certain seasons. The period of their migrations is fixed by nature for each species, and it is remarketl that they follow the same route every year; hence, in certain districts tlie fowlers or birdcatcliers count upon their arri- val as upon rent that falls due on a certain day, and calculate in advance the period of their passage. Armed witli their nets, and all the apparatus of the chase, they station themselves in the gorges and in the valleys through which the flocks are to pass, and await their coming just as they would the arrival of a railway Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Jones, Thomas Rymer, 1810-1880. London : Society for Promoting Knowledge
Size: 1457px × 1715px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorjo, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, booksubjectzoology
