OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS 34* 



my approaching the bar-way, they all rose, some on my right 

 and some on my left hand ; and just before and over my head 

 I perceived (though indistinctly from the extreme velocity of 

 their motion) two birds fly directly against each other, when 

 instantly, to my great astonishment, down dropped a partridge 

 at my feet ; the dog immediately seized it, and on examination 

 I found the blood flow very fast from a flesh wound in the 

 head, but there was some dry clotted blood on its wings and 

 side ; whence I concluded that a hawk had singled out my 

 wounded bird as the object of his prey, and had struck it 

 down the instant that my approach had obliged the birds to 

 rise on the wing ; but the space between the hedges was so 

 small, and the motion of the birds so instantaneous and 

 quick, that I could not distinctly observe the operation. 

 MARKWICK. 



GREAT SPECKLED DIVER OR LOON. As one of my 

 neighbors was traversing Wolmer Forest from Bramshot 

 across the moors, he found a large uncommon bird fluttering 

 in the heath, but not wounded, which he brought home alive. 

 On examination it proved to be colymbus glacialis, Linn., the 

 great speckled diver, or loon, which is most excellently de- 

 scribed in Willughby's " Ornithology." 



Every part and proportion of this bird is so incomparably 

 adapted to its mode of life, that in no instance do we see the 

 wisdom of God in the creation to more advantage. The head 

 is sharp and smaller than the part of the neck adjoining, in 

 order that it may pierce the water ; the wings are placed for- 

 ward, and out of the centre of gravity, for a purpose which 

 shall be noticed hereafter ; the thighs quite at the podex, in 

 order to facilitate diving ; and the legs are quite flat, and as 

 sharp backwards almost as the edge of a knife, that in strik- 

 ing they may easily cut the water ; while the feet are pal- 

 mated, and broad for swimming, yet so folded up when 

 advanced forward to take a fresh stroke, as to be full as 

 narrow as the shank. The two exterior toes of the feet are 

 longest; the nails flat and broad, resembling the human, 

 which give strength and increase the power of swimming. 

 The foot, when expanded, is not at right angles to the leg or 



