OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS. 391 
may easily cut the water ; while the feet are palmated, and broad for 
swimming, yet so folded up when advanced forward to take a fresh 
stroke, as to be full as narrow as the shank. ‘The two exterior toes 
of the feet are longest; the nails flat and broad, resembling the 
human, which give strength, and increase the power of swimming. 
The foot, when expanded, is not at right angles to the leg or body 
of the bird: but the exterior part inclining towards the head, forms 
an acute angle with the body, the intention being not to give 
motion in the line of the legs themselves, but by the combined 
impulse of both in an intermediate line, the line of the body. 
Most people know, that have observed at all, that the swimming 
of birds is nothing more than a walking in the water, where one 
foot succeeds the other as on the land; yet no one, as faras I am 
aware, has remarked that diving fowls, while under water, impel 
and row themselves forward by a motion of their wings, as well as 
by the impulse of their feet : but such is really the case, as any person 
may easily be convinced, who will observe ducks when hunted by 
dogs inaclear pond. Nor do I know that any one has given a 
reason why the wings of diving fowls are placed so forward : 
doubtless, not for the purpose of promoting their speed in 
flying, since that position certainly impedes it ; but probably for 
the increase of their motion under water, by the use of four oars 
instead of two; yet were the wings and feet nearer together, as 
in land-birds, they would, when in action, rather hinder than assist 
one another. 
This colymbus was of considerable bulk, weighing only three 
drachms short of three pounds avoirdupois. It measured in 
Jength from the bill to the tail (which was very short) two feet, 
and to the extremities of the toes four inches more; and the 
breadth of the wings expanded was forty-two inches. A person 
attempted to eat the body, but found it very strong and rancid, as 
is the flesh of all birds living on fish. Divers or loons, though bred 
in the most northerly parts of Europe, yet are seen with us in very 
severe winters; and on the Thames they are called sprat loons, 
because they prey much on that sort of fish. 
The legs of the colyméz and mergz are placed so very backward, 
and so out of all centre of gravity, that these birds cannot walk at 
all. They are called by Linnzeus compedes, because they move on 
the ground as if shackled or fettered.— WHITE. 
These accurate and ingenious observations, tending to set forth 
