V "'i909 VI ] Townsend, Use of Wings and Feet by Diving Birds. 237 



so that the bird's motion was a genuine flight through water, un- 

 assisted by the webbed feet." 



The Black Guillemot or Sea Pigeon plainly uses its wings under 

 water, for it goes down with a very obvious flop, spreading both 

 wings as if to push the water away. Selous (22) says: "In swim- 

 ming under water the Black Guillemot uses its wings only — the 

 rose red legs trail behind it, a fading fire as it goes down." Mr. 

 James L. Peters writes me that he "watched a Black Guillemot off 

 Nahant. We were almost directly above him and, while we could 

 see his wings nicely, his feet were quite hidden. When he dove 

 he spread his wings and used them under water." 



The Razor-billed Auk and the Murres spread their wings in 

 diving, but I have not seen these birds under water. Selous (24) 

 says of these birds: "Whilst watching the Guillemots [Common 

 Murres] on the ledges, one of them flew down into the sea, just 

 below, which was like a great, clear basin, and thus gave me the 

 first opportunity I have yet had of seeing a Guillemot underwater. 

 It progressed, like the Razorbill and Puffin, by repeated strokes of 

 its wings, which were not, however, outspread as in flight, but held 

 as they are when closed, parallel, that is to say, roughly speaking, 

 with the sides, from which they were moved outwards, and then 

 back, with a flap-like motion, as though attached to them all along. 

 Thus the flight through the water is managed in a very different 

 way from the flight through the air." In another place (20) he 

 says: "Razorbills also dive briskly, opening the wings.... One 

 remarks then that the wings are moved both together — flapped 

 or beaten — so that the bird really flies through the water. In 

 flight, however, they are spread straight out without a bend in them, 

 whereas here they are all the while flexed at the joint, wing raised 

 from and brought downwards again towards the sides in the same 

 position in which they repose against them when closed." 



Of the Dovekie or Little Auk I have had the opportunity to 

 make some interesting observations. In diving the wings are 

 spread out as in others of the group, and, from a near-by rock, I 

 have plainly seen it using its wings as it swam under water. As 

 to the feet I cannot say, for I have no note nor distinct remembrance 

 as regards these members. One is apt to assume that the feet as 

 well as the wings are used in these birds under water, but the careful 



