14 BIRDS OF THE WEST 



enough under water to catch, fishes. The petrel will spread his 

 wings and with his webbed feet will not only walk upon the water 

 as Peter did, but he will run. 



Wading birds have very long legs and feet, well adapted to 

 tramping out any delicious morsels that are concealed in the mud 

 beneath the shallow water. 



The albatross has a wing-spread of twelve or fourteen feet 

 and I am sure that I should want even more than that if I made 

 such trips as he does over the ocean. The swallows are on the wing 

 nearly all the time and they often have to make very sudden turns 

 to catch passing flies. It is therefore reasonable that there should 

 be little to them but wings, but a quail or a prairie chicken that 

 makes only short flights and does not migrate has little need of 

 very long wings. 



Some of the birds make use of their tails to steer them either 

 in flight or while swimming under the water and all birds find 

 their tails of considerable service in making a landing upon a perch. 



As to color of plumage and its bearing upon food supply, 

 there is mostly indirect relation, but it is claimed for some of the 

 water birds that they have the power of illuminating their under 

 plumage for the attraction of fishes and it is well known that birds 

 often take the color of their surroundings, for they wish to be in- 

 conspicuous both when they are preying and being preyed upon. 



You may ask, "What has the question of diet to do with their 

 egg-laying?" Birds have quite a problem to solve when the task 

 of feeding their young is before them. A young bird is an awful 

 eater. An abundant food supply that is available for a long season 

 will mean to many birds an extra family per season, and to many 

 more a larger family. You know how quality and quantity of food 

 affect the domestic hen and I am quite sure that when times are 

 good and living is easily made, our human brothers more readily 

 assume the duties of the Benedicts. 



