WINGS AND FEET 



grouse and bob-white, but in the introduced 

 ring pheasant I once watched a flock of young 

 birds in flight whose only partly grown tails 

 did not conceal the long legs of the birds that 

 extended backwards. In side views of the 

 splendid cock pheasants I have also seen the 

 legs extended behind. 



In the case of the water birds that abound on 

 the Labrador coast it is easy to see that the 

 legs are carried behind, and this is the universal 

 habit among all groups of this order. The 

 puffin and sea pigeon with their brilliant scarlet 

 feet make it plain as to their position in flight. 

 The gulls habitually carry their feet behind, 

 and in quick turns generally drop their feet 

 pressed together, suggesting their use as a centre- 

 board, for, as in a centre-board boat, quick turns 

 with the board up are impossible, with it 

 down these turns become easy. Gulls have also 

 a habit of sometimes drawing up one or both 

 feet in front. Sometimes the feet carried 

 forward show plainly, at other times they are 

 buried all but the toes which appear as dark 

 nobs, and again they are entirely concealed in 

 the feathers of the breast so that the bird 

 appears to be destitute of feet. Birds with one 



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