362 VERTEBRATA. AVES. 



FAMILY I. THE DIVERS. 



In this family we find two marked relations to 

 other animals : in the lobed feet of the Grebes, and 

 in their manners, we recognise a close affinity with 

 the Coots of the Order we have just left ; while, in 

 the fin-like wings, scaly feathers, and flattened feet, 

 placed far behind, of the Penguins, we almost lose 

 the form and habit of a Bird in those of a Fish, or 

 rather, perhaps, those of a Turtle. These characters, 

 namely, feet near the tail, very short and feeble 

 wings, a dense and polished plumage, with the pow r ers 

 of swimming and diving in high perfection, mark in 

 various degrees the whole family. They have a wide 

 geographical range, but are chiefly inhabitants of the 

 cold climates both of the northern and southern 

 hemispheres. 



Podiceps* the Grebe. 



We have already alluded to the peculiarity of this 

 genus, the toes being dilated into broad oval plates. 

 Habitually running among stems of plants, reeds, 

 &c., a web-foot would be more inconvenient and lia- 

 ble to injury than one in which the toes are free.f 

 They are, however, more aquatic than the Coots, be- 

 ing less adapted for walking, but swimming with 

 much greater facility. " They do not dabble, like 

 Ducks, but plunge freely into the water, and dash 



* Mudie, Birds, p. 279. 



t Uovs , pows, a foot, and x<pXj, kephale, the head ; perhaps from the 

 tufts with which the head is furnished. 



