FEET OF CLIMBING BIRDS. 269 



pecially adapted for grasping such objects. The 

 feet of some, indeed, show an utter incapacity for 

 walking, and probably even for standing upon the 

 ground; such a structure is seen in the kingfishers, the 

 bee-eaters, the trogons, and even the puff-birds, whose 

 feet have a very peculiar structure : the anterior, or 

 fore toes, are united together for nearly half their 

 length, so as to form a greater breadth of surface on 

 their soles, by which means, although they are 

 deprived of all power to walk, they are better able 

 to support themselves, as they do for hours, sitting 

 almost motionless on a dry twig, watching for 

 insects. 



(184.) The most striking modification, however, 

 of the perching structure of foot, is seen in the 

 climbing birds ; whose habits require that they 

 should be possessed of a much firmer grasp than 

 usual. Now this has been effected by the toes 

 being placed in pairs, two forward and two backward, 

 so that the counteraction of force becomes per- 

 fectly equal. The parrots, the woodpeckers, the 

 toucans, and the cuckoos, are all distinguished by 

 this sort of foot ; which, while it enables them to 

 climb with greater facility than any other birds, 

 proportionally disqualifies them, as a necessary 

 consequence, from walking with readiness upon the 

 ground. How nimbly and how gracefully will a 

 tame parrot, for instance, ascend and descend the 

 wires and perches of his cage ; yet open the door, 

 and place him upon the ground, or a flat surface, 

 and he becomes one of the most awkward and 

 clumsy of all birds : he waddles, rather than walks, 

 and appears as much out of his natural element as 



