GENERAL HABITS 189 



and so forth. The Rails, too, are very ele- 

 gant in their carriage ; so, too, are the Gulls ; 

 but the Terns, owing to their comparatively 

 short metatarsi, are but indifferent walkers. 

 Game birds both walk and run, as also do 

 many of the Plovers and Snipes ; but running 

 is an especial feature in the progress of the 

 Charadriiforme birds on land. Incidentally we 

 may remark that we once saw a Ringed Plover, 

 when standing upon one leg on the sands, hop 

 for several yards rather than put the other leg 

 to the ground. Pigeons are but poor walkers 

 or runners, owing to the short metatarsi ; so, 

 too, are Sand-Grouse ; and even more especi- 

 ally Goatsuckers, and many of the Cuckoos. 

 Amongst the swiftest bird runners we may 

 include some of the Rails. The long-legged 

 Geese are fair walkers, but the shorter-legged 

 Ducks are awkward and waddling in their gait. 

 Parrots, again, are clumsy walkers, although 

 they are agile enough in trees, where they climb 

 about the branches assisted by both bill and 

 feet. Many of the Kingfishers are practically 

 incapable of terrestrial progress. Amongst Pas- 

 serine birds we have examples of each mode 

 of progression ; in fact some species employ all, 

 as fancy or circumstances may decide. Crows, 



