230 FACULTIES OF BIRDS. 



leg ; while the flexibility of the neck allows it to be 

 brought back upon the body, and the head placed 

 under the wing 1 , so as to bring the centre of gravity 

 more over the feet, and thence to increase the stability. 

 It is stated by the older naturalists, and repeated by 

 several modern authors, that storks and other wading 

 birds, when resting on the banks of a river, and 

 standing on one foot, " hold a stone or other heavy 

 body in the claws of the other to give them weight. 1 ' 

 We much suspect, however, that this contrivance is 

 imaginary ; at least we never witnessed it, and could 

 not credit it without more positive testimony than a 

 general remark. 



One of the most singular circumstances which we 

 have met with respecting the walk of birds occurs in 

 the Chinese jacana (Parr a sinensis, LATHAM), whose 

 enormously long toes enable it to walk with agility 

 from leaf to leaf of the great water-lily. 



