188 OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS. 



out of the mouth. The legs appeared rather longer 

 than usual, and not set so far back as is generally 

 the case in ducks; and, what was principally re- 

 markable, the toes were divided to their origin and 

 without webs. These birds were in the Botanic 

 Garden when I saw them, where there is a pond ; 

 but they took to the water with some reluctance, and 

 but seldom resorted to it, as I was told, excepting 

 when approached too nearly. They seemed to swim 

 with some difficulty, and were compelled to keep 

 their feet in constant motion in order to support 

 themselves above the surface ; sinking deeper than 

 ducks usually do, with the breast nearly all im- 

 mersed. One of the three individuals, which was a 

 drake, and more active and healthy than the other 

 two, occasionally dived half the length of the pond. 

 They all endeavoured to devour the lemnce and 

 other floating weeds on the surface of the water ; but, 

 from the monstrous formation of the bill, they did 

 not readily succeed in securing their food. 



The person to whom these birds had originally 

 belonged, fancied they were a cross between the 

 domestic cock and the common duck ; and stated the 

 circumstance of a cock and duck having been for 

 some time alone in the farm-yard in which they had 

 been reared, and which had led to an intimacy be- 

 tween them. There was nothing, however, in sup- 

 port of this idea to set against the extreme impro- 

 bability of any fertile union taking place between 

 two species of birds belonging to such totally different 

 families. The absence of webs between the toes, 

 which was the main point in which these individuals 



