LOCOMOTION. 219 



the surface ; for, like all other birds, its specific 

 gravity is greatly inferior to that of water. In one or 

 two instances, where we have been able to perceive it 

 under water, it appeared to tumble about in a very 

 extraordinary manner, with its head downwards, as if 

 pecking- something ; and at the same time great ex- 

 ertion was used both by the wings and legs. The 

 idea of any bird being capable of walking beneath a 

 fluid so infinitely more dense than itself, does not 

 require any depth of philosophical reasoning to refute. 

 Birds, of all animals, have the least specific gravity, 

 and consequently require great exertioivto keep them- 

 selves under water. The dipper has been seen to float 

 on the surface, and from thence to dive. The young 

 birds showed no inclination to dive in a tub of water, 

 but showed great uneasiness by struggling on the 

 surface*." 



Without pretending to decide the point, though 

 our own repeated observations incline us to differ 

 from Montagu and Selby, we may remark that the 

 structure and position of the legs in the dipper are so 

 different from those of diving birds, as to indicate a 

 very different habit. M. Montbeillard, for example, 

 says of one species (Cat-marin) , that it can only 

 walk on the surface of the waves, and his intelligent 

 correspondent M. Baillon, of Montreuil, says he one 

 day found two of these divers cast ashore by the tide, 

 lying on the sand, working their feet and wings, and 

 crawling with difficulty, so that he gathered them like 

 stones, though they were not hurt nor weakly, for 

 upon throwing up one of them it flew away and dived 

 arid played on the water as if rejoiced at regaining its 

 proper element f. 



The Laplanders call the loon (Colymbus gladalis) 

 the lame bird, because the bird walks awkwardly J, 



* Ornith. Diet. p. 135. f Oiseaux, Art. Le Cat-marin. 



| Hearne's Journ. p. 429, 4to. 



