288 TowNSEND, Bird Genealogy. \_3u\y 



the air, and its feet are probably not vised. In fact the web, 

 although useful, is largely wasted on these birds, and it is evident 

 that it is ancient and points to a swimming ancestry. That this 

 ancestry is less remote than in the Shore Birds is perhaps shown 

 by the fact that a wing-tipped Gull, falling on the beach will take to 

 the water, and swim vigorously out to sea, while a similarly crippled 

 Shore Bird falling into the water will swim to the beach and endea- 

 vor to run inland to hide. 



Before they are able to fly, young Skimmers are said to seek 

 safety by running into the water, another evidence of their water 

 ancestry. Chapman in his "Camps and Cruises of an Ornitholo- 

 gist," speaking of young Common Terns a few days old, says: 

 "several were sewi to enter an inflowing creek, drink repeatedly 

 of the salt water and swim actively, in evident enjoyment of their 

 natatorial powers, while the parents, who rarely alight on the water, 

 watched them from the shore. Possibly here was an explanation 

 of the value to Terns of webbed toes. Functionless in the adult 

 they are of service to the young, before the power of flight is ac- 

 quired." In this supposition he is probably right, although this 

 service to the young is not the reason for the existence of the webs, 

 but the observation points very clearly to the swimming ancestry 

 of the birds. We could not have stronger proof of it. 



That the Auks are out and out water birds there needs no defence, 

 but one is at first sight puzzled by the presence of the Pigeons in 

 this group. The older systematists placed the Pigeons with the 

 Partridge and Domestic Fowl tribe, but Pigeons may be seen 

 wading in puddles in a manner that would alarm the Barnyard 

 Cock. I have been told by a Pigeon fancier that young Pigeons 

 are much attracted by water, and fond of bathing therein, and 

 that young birds are liable to drown themselves in tanks or troughs 

 if these are accessible to Pigeon lofts. I recently placed a half- 

 grown Domestic Pigeon in a wash-tub of tepid water. With head 

 and neck erect, the bird swam rapidly with alternate strokes of the 

 feet to the side of the tub. The wings were arched up and waved 

 slightly, — not stretched out and flapped in the water as in the 

 case of young Passerine birds. Its position was like that of a 

 Duck but low in the water. Progress was much more rapid than 

 on land where the bird stumbled awkwardly along. Indeed it had 



