A STUDY IN BIRDS' CLAWS, TALONS, AND FEET. 259 



All the members of the family to which this bird belongs to 

 quote the Scientist, the Genus Himantopus are remarkable for 

 the extreme length and slenderness of the legs. Although the 

 bird frequents morasses and the low flat shores of lakes, rivers, 

 and seas, it is not web-footed, but is a wading bird, and its 

 long legs enable it, like the Flamingo, to wade in search of its 

 food without much chance of its being carried out of its depth, 

 but even if this happens, it can swim with great ease and 

 lightness. Gould says that ' when on firm ground, it appears 

 as if tottering on long and awkward stilts, but firm ground is 

 not its congenial habitat.' 



The foot of the Brazilian Caracara is built somewhat on the 

 same lines as that of the Golden Eagle, but is more open, and 

 does not possess that ' clench- 

 ing' which is so apparent in 

 that of the last named variety. 

 The legs are yellow, and the 

 claws black, a perfect and 

 typical example of the foot of 

 a bird of this order. Darwin 

 says in his * Voyages of the 

 Adventure and Beagle' that 

 he was surprised at the number, 



i j. , 11-i. FOOT OF BRAZILIAN CARACARA. 



tameness and disgusting habits 

 of these birds when he visited 



the extra tropical parts of South America. He calls them 

 Carrion Hawks a not inappropriate name by. any means and 

 adds that * they are pre-eminently striking to anyone accustomed 

 only to the birds of Northern Europe.' It is said that the 

 Carrancha, another name for the bird, is inactive, tame, and 

 cowardly, its flight heavy and slow like our British Rook 

 and that it is of very versatile habits and considerable 

 ingenuity. 



That ever interesting family the Woodpeckers, afford the 

 Natural History Author many opportunities of illustrating the 

 wonders of bird life. The minutest detail in the structure 

 of the Woodpecker admirably fits it for traversing the trunks 

 and branches of trees. The foot is exceedingly strong, the 

 toes are robust and armed with sharp curved claws. I might 



