292 



THE HAKMONIES OF NATURE. 



worms, small fishes, and insects, by walking unsubmerged on the 

 leaves of aquatic plants which float on the water. In the Swimmers 

 or Palmipeds, the legs are as beautifully adapted for cleaving 

 the water, as in the Waders for marching over a swampy ground. 

 The toes are webbed so as to form a broad 

 oarlike surface, and the short and muscular 

 legs are placed behind the point of equi- 

 librium a peculiarity which occasions an 

 awkward gait on land, but is extremely favour- 

 able to birds ' whose business is in the deep 

 waters.' 



In the birds of prey the legs are likewise 

 robust and short, but here the toes are armed 

 with long, strong, and crooked talons, so as to 

 be able to tear their prey, and carry it easily 

 to the lofty situations in which they build 

 their nests. For this reason the eagles 

 have been endowed with comparatively far stronger legs and 

 claws than the owls^ whose prey consists only of small birds, 

 mice, or even insects, and who are not obliged to carry it 

 to high rocks and mountain pinnacles. 



Foot of the Pelican. 



Talons of a Bird of Prey. 



Foot of the Woodpecker. 



In the scansorial birds the woodpeckers and parrots we 

 find the feet with two toes before and two behind ; a disposi- 

 tion which, though it proportionably impedes their progress on 

 level ground, and would, for instance, have been highly incon- 

 venient to the ostrich, gives them great facility in climbing 

 the branches of trees, or ascending perpendicular stems. 



