The Diter:\ 



OF ORKNEY. 115 



" themselves by their lightness, or whether by striking against 

 " the bottom in the manner of a leap, or by some peculiar 

 " motion of their legs, I cannot determine. That they dive 

 " to the bottom is clear, for that in the stomachs, both of the 

 " greater and lesser kind, we have found both grass and other 

 " weeds, and in the lesser kind nothing else, though both prey 

 " upon fish. Their bills are made strait and sharp, for the 

 " easier cutting the water, and striking their prey. Could 

 " we see the motions of their legs and feet in the water, then 

 " we should better comprehend how they ascend, descend, 

 " and move to and fro, and discern how wisely and artifici- 

 " ally their membranes are formed and adapted to those 

 " uses." — Vide Ray's JVisd. of God. 



It is probable they easily rise from the bottom, by their 

 bodies being specifically lighter than the water; and, as a proof 

 of this, I have often observed them labour much more in go- 

 ing down than coming up ; both wings and legs were exerted 

 to the utmost, but when they rose both seemed at rest. 



