BIRDS OF KANSAS 



17 



the three toes in front and the 



hind toe, all joined together by 



a web (toti-palniate) (see cut 



No. 4) ; the Ducks and Geese 



have the three front toes only 



united (palmate) (see cut No. 



2); while in the " Mud Hen," 



" Coot," each toe has a separate 



lobed membrane on it 

 ( See cut No. 8). 



A type that must 

 overlooked is the 

 foot ( see cut No. 1 

 song birds, of which 

 "Downy," the Kin 

 and the Hawk are 



(lobed). 



not be 

 perching 

 ) of the 

 those of 

 g fi s h e r 

 varieties 



adapted for special uses. The 



toes of the robin are entirely 



separate. They are all on the 



same level, and the hind toe is 



long, in order to more effectually 



grasp a twig. The toes do not 



spread out so much as in the 



Hawk, nor are they so rough on 



the under surface. This is the perch- 

 ing foot. ( See cut No. 1 ). 



To sum up, then, we have noticed 

 three principal kinds of feet, — the 

 perching, the walking or wading, 

 and the swimming. 



A bird that finds its particular 

 kind of food from the water's edge, 

 or on the bottom where the water is 

 shallow, needs a wide bill with an 



