A Bird 's Foot 197 



naturally drop together and partly close, presenting only 

 a narrow front almost an edge of resistance to the 

 water; then, when he makes a backward stroke, the toes 

 spread far apart and, with the connecting membranes, are 

 converted into a broad, propelling oar. Is it not a won- 

 derfully wise contrivance? 



Most swimming birds have only the front toes webbed, 

 but in a few species, like the pelicans, even the hind toe 

 is connected with its fellows by means of such a mem- 

 brane. Nor must we forget those water fowls which, 

 instead of palmated feet, have what is called the lobate 

 foot, which means that the digits have broad lobes or 

 flaps on their sides. While in such cases the toes are all 

 distinct, the expanded lobes serve almost, if not quite, as 

 good a purpose for propulsion in the water as do the webs. 

 The coot swims almost as well as the duck or the goose, 

 and at the same time his feet, with their disconnected toes, 

 are better adapted for paddling about amid the water- 

 grass and dense weeds than if they were webbed. 



The birds of prey, such as hawks, owls, and eagles, 

 have large, strong, and sharply curved talons and power- 

 ful digits, and a sad use they make of them in clutching 

 small birds and animals. The claws of the woodpeckers 

 and other climbing birds are stout and extremely acute, 

 just as they should be for clinging to the bark of trees. 

 In short, the structure of a bird's foot, whatever may be 

 the species of fowl, furnishes most conclusive evidence of 

 adaptation in the world of Nature. 



