ANATID-E. 455 



skinny appendages to the toes, giving to the foot 

 nearly all the swimming power of a perfect web : 

 they extend the whole length of each toe, and are 

 much indented at each joint, especially on the inner 

 side of the middle toe, where they form almost 

 regular half-circles from joint to joint ; the hind toe 

 has a similar appendage, hut in a less degree ; it is 

 much like that of the diving Ducks. The young 

 birds when first hatched are covered with black 

 down, with some light-coloured down hanging loosely 

 about them. 



Yarrell says that varieties of the Coot, some quite 

 white and others partially so, have occurred. 



The egg is a dull drab-coloured ground, peppered 

 all over with black. 



This ends the large Order of Grallatores or Waders, 

 and this bird certainly has been well selected for that 

 place, as, both in habits and formation, it appears 

 allied to both Orders ; and had the small family of 

 Grebes been placed the first of the Natatores or 

 Swimmers, the transition, as far as the formation of 

 the feet are concerned, would have been very gradual. 



ORDER NATATORES. Famly 



The whole of the birds included in this large 

 Order, containing as. many as one hundred and six 

 British species, out of which I have been enabled 

 to enumerate fifty-eight as belonging to Somerset^ 



