THE CRANE KIND. 



551 



OF BIRDS OF TI2B CRANE ZIZBTD. 





CHAPTER CX1I. 



OF BIRDS OF THE CRANE KIND IN GENERAL 



THE progressions of nature from one class 

 of beings to another, are always by slow and 

 almost imperceptible degrees. She has peo- 

 pled the woods and the fields with a variety of 

 the most beautiful birds ; and, to leave no 

 part of her extensive territories un tenanted, 

 she has stocked the waters with its feathered 

 inhabitants also : she has taken the same care 

 in providing for the wants of her animals in 

 this clement, as she has done with respect to 

 those of the other ; she has used as much pre- 

 caution to render water-fowl fit for swimming, 

 as she did in forming land-fowl for flight ; she 

 has defended their fealhers with a natural oil, 

 and united their toes by a webbed membrane; 

 by which contrivances they have at once 

 security and motion. But between the classes 

 of land-birds that shun the water, and of water- 

 fowl that arc made for swimming and living 

 on it, she has formed a very numerous tribe of 

 birds, that seem to partake of a middle nature ; 

 that, with divided toes, seemingly fitted to 

 live upon land, are at the same time furnished 

 with appetites that chiefly attach them to the 

 waters. These can properly be called neither 

 land -birds nor water-fowl, as they provide all 

 their sustenance from watery places, and yet 

 are unqualified to seek it in those depths where 

 it is often found in greatest plenty. 



This class of birds, of the crane kind, are 

 to be distinguished from others rather by their 

 appetites than their conformation. Yet even 

 in this respect they seem to be sufficiently dis- 

 criminated by nature : as they are to live 

 among the waters, yet are incapable of swim- 

 ming in them, most of them have long legs, 

 fit;"(i for wading in shallow waters, or long 

 bills proper for groping in them. 



Every bird of this kind, habituated to marshy 

 places, may be known, if not by the length of 

 its legs, at least by the scaly surface of them. 

 Those who have observed the legs of a snipe 

 or a woodcock, will easily perceive my mean- 

 ing; and how different the surface of the skin 

 that covers them is from that of the pigeon or 

 the partridge. Most birds of this kind also, 

 are bare of feathers half way up the thigh ; at 

 least, in all of them, above the knee. Their 

 long habits of wading in the waters, and hav- 

 ing their legs continually in moisture, prevents 

 the growtli of fealhers on those parts ; so that 

 there is a surprising difference between the leg 

 of a crane, naked of feathers almost up to the 

 body, and the falcon, booted almost to the very 

 toes. 



The bill also is very distinguishable in most 

 of this class. It is, in general, longer than that 

 of other birds, and in some finely fluted on 

 every side ; while at the point it is possessed 

 of extreme sensibility, and furnished with 

 nerves, for the better feeling their food at the 

 bottom of marshes, where it cannot be seen. 

 Some birds of this class are thus fitted with 

 every convenience : they have long legs, for 

 wading; long necks, for stooping; long bills, 

 for searching ; and nervous points, for feeling. 

 Others are not so amply provided for ; as 

 some have long bills, but legs of HO great 

 length ; and others have long necks, but very 

 short legs. It is a rule which universally 

 holds, that where the bird's legs are long, (he 

 neck is also long in proportion. It would in- 

 deed be an incurable defect in the bird's con- 

 formation, to be lifted upon stilts above its 

 food, without being furnished with an instru- 

 ment to reach it. 



