332 AQUATIC AND FEN BIRDS. 



on land are at the same time furnished with appetites that chiefly 

 attach them to the waters. These can properly be called neither 

 land-birds nor water fowl, as they chiefly derive their sustenance 

 from watery places, and yet are unqualified to seek it in those 

 depths where it is often found in greatest plenty. 



This class of birds, of the crane kind, are to be distinguished 

 from others rather by their appetites than their conformation. 

 Yet even in this respect they seem to be sufficiently discriminated 

 by nature: as they are to live among the waters, yet are inca- 

 pable of swimming in them, most of them have long legs, fitted 

 for wading in shallow waters, or long bills proper for groping in 

 them. 



Every bird of this kind, habituated to marshy places, may be 

 known, if not by the length of its legs, at least by the scaly sur- 

 face of them. Those who have observed the legs of a snipe or 

 a woodcock, will easily perceive my meaning ; and how different 

 the surface of the skin that covers them is from that of the 

 pigeon or the partridge. Most birds of this kind also, are bare 

 of feathers half way up their thigh ; at least, in all of them, 

 above the knee. Their long habits of wading in the waters, 

 and having their legs continually in moisture, prevents the 

 growth of feathers on those parts ; so that there is a surprising 

 difference between the leg of a crane, naked of feathers almost 

 up to the body, and the falcon, booted almost to the very toes* 



The bill also is very distinguishable in most of this class. It 

 is, in general, longer than that of other birds, and in some finely 

 fluted cm every side ; while at the point it is possessed of extreme 

 sensibility, and furnished with nerves, for the better feeling their 

 food at the bottom of marshes, where it cannot be seen. Some 

 birds of this class are thus fitted with every convenience : they 

 have long legs, for wading ; long necks, for stooping; long bills, 

 for searching ; and nervous points, for feeling. Others are not 

 so amply provided for j as some have long bills, but legs of no. 



