URINATORES. DIVERS. 241 



erect attitude necessary in standing, and to make it impos- 

 sible for them to walk with speed, or even -with ease. The 

 tibia is bare for a very short space only ; the tarsus in most 

 cases extremely compressed ; the toes four, all much com- 

 pressed and scutellate ; the anterior long, and connected by 

 iuterdigital membranes ; the claws small, and obtuse or flat- 

 tened. The plumage is close, short, on the head and neck 

 blended ; on the upper parts of the body firm and compact, 

 on the lower short, and soft or even silky. The wings small, 

 narrow, and pointed ; the tail extremely short. 



Although some of the species feed partly on insects, rep- 

 tiles, Crustacea, and mollusca, the general regimen is piscine. 

 They swim, dive, and shoot along in the water, using their 

 wings as well as feet for propelling themselves, with wonderful 

 address and eifect. Their heavy body and small wings render 

 it impracticable for them to float, hover, wind, or even turn 

 with quickness, in the air. In flying to and from their places 

 of fishing, repose, or breeding, they proceed Avith great rapi- 

 dity, in a direct course, with quick and regular beats of their 

 Avings. They stand in an inclined, or nearly erect posture, 

 walk very little, some even being obliged to lie flat and push 

 themselves onward with their feet. They nestle on the 

 ground, or on rocks, sometimes deposit their eggs on the bare 

 surface, or lay them in holes, Avhicli they dig for themselves. 

 The young of those that nestle on the ground presently 

 betake themselves to the water, while those produced in ele- 

 vated places continue some time in the nest. The eggs of 

 most of them may be eaten, and those of some of them are 

 excellent as food ; but the flesh of these fish -eating divers is 

 dark-coloured, rank or disagreeably flavoured, and not relished, 

 unless by those who can procure nothing better. 



Four families may be distinguished in this order. The 

 Podicipince, or Grebes, are characterized by their silky plu- 

 mage, most diminutive tail, and the peculiar conformation of 

 their feet, of which the tarsus is nearly as thin as the blade of 

 a knife, and the toes furnished with expanded lobes in place 

 of membranes. The Colymhince , or Loons, have the body 

 and neck elongated ; the bill slender and pointed ; the tar- 

 sus extremely compressed ; but the anterior toes regularly 



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