SWIMxAIING BIRDS. 



Having- excessively short wings, and the legs' 

 placed so far back that they are obliged, when 

 on laiKl, to preserve almost a vertical position 

 They fly little or not at all ... . 



459 



BEACHYPTEEES. 

 DIVEES. 



Having the wings 

 of ordinary length, 

 or even very long, 

 and the feet so 

 placed as to enable 

 tlie bird to walk 

 when in a horizon- 

 tal position . 



Beak 



The thumb fr> 



hornv I ^^ ^'aiiting, wings [ LONGIPENNES. 

 •' ' excessively long j 



' The thumb united 

 to the other toes 

 by a common 

 membrane, wiiig-s 



The beak covered by a soft 

 skin and the edges fiu-- 

 nished with transverse 

 ridges or very fine tooth- 

 like points . 



TOTIPALMAT^ 



LAMELLIEOSTEES. 



The Short-win^s (Brachjpteres *), exhibit considerable 

 relationship with the Water-hens. In these birds the le^s 

 are situated further back than in any others, so that thev 

 walk with difhculty, and are obliged to stand almost in 

 an upright position. They swim badly on the surface 

 ol the water and many of them cannot fly at all on 

 account of the shortness of their wings; they may, 

 therefore, be regarded as exclusively water-birds • their 

 plumage is consequently exceedingly thick and smooth, 

 so as to have almost a silvery appearance. They dive 

 with great ease, using their wings almost in the same 

 manner as fins. To this family belong 



The Bivers ( ColymlicL-,) distinguishable by their smooth, strai-ht 

 compressed and ponded beak. They are, however, div sibTe ai- 

 cordmg- to tlie structure of their feet into uivismie ac 



Tiie Grebes (Po(i/c6ps t , which, instead of truly webbed feet onlv 

 have then- toes expanded by the addition of folds of ^in at their 

 sides and base. The semi-metallic brilliancv of their pluma^^e often 

 c^mses the skins of these birds to be used as a substitu c fer ?urs 

 they live upon tlie margins of lakes and ponds, and make theTr nests 

 among the reeds; unckr some circumstances thev are said to o-ather 

 their young under their wings. * ^ 



* Bpaxvs, brachys, sliort ; Trrdpou, pteron, a winn 

 t Podex, the rump; pes, a /oo«- so-called from the legs bein< 

 placed so far back. ° '^ 



X 2 



