216 FACULTIES OF BIRDS. 



strong 1 , sharp, hooked claws. Even when the swift 

 is placed upon the ground it cannot walk, according 

 to White, but can only crawl*. 



The feet in swallows, though not quite so short 

 as in the swift, are very small, because its prescribed 

 habits do not require them to be large. In the 

 capture of its prey, for example, it does not employ 

 its feet, and, to use the words of Dr. Drummorid, 

 it does not require them to be in any particular 

 position, " as in water birds, since it neither dives 

 nor swims ; it does not want long legs like the 

 heron, for it has not to obtain its food by wading 

 and patiently watching for it ; neither has it oc- 

 casion for the strong and powerful feet and claws of 

 the bird of prey, because it needs no instruments for 

 grasping. In fact, the great requisite in the foot of 

 the swallow is, that it shall be formed without those 

 qualifications which are such wise provisions in the 

 feet of most other birds, for what is a perfection in 

 them, would be an imperfection in it. Its legs are 

 extremely short, and the whole foot disproportionately 

 small and delicate: this forms the perfection of the 

 swallow's foot ; and in it we may recognise another 

 of those admirable examples of Divine ordinance, 

 which are every where before our eyes, without our 

 taking the trouble of employing a thought on the 

 subject t." 



The kingfisher (Alcedo ispida) is another British 

 bird whose legs are exceedingly small and not well 

 adapted for walking, which, familiar as we are with 

 the species, we never saw it attempt. In this it is 

 singularly different from its fellow fisher, the dipper 

 (Cinclus aquaticus, BECHSTEIN), which can not only 

 trip along the edge of a rock, but can walk, as we 

 have repeatedly witnessed, directly under water in 

 shallow pools and slow-running streams, emerging to 

 * Seiborne, Lett. 61. t Letters, p, 217. 



