380 HISTORY OF 



The reeds among which it is built keep it fast ; so that it is sel- 

 dom washed into the middle of the stream. But if this happens, 

 which is sometimes the case, the bird sits in her nest, like a 

 mariner in his boat, and steers with her legs her cargo into the 

 nearest harbour : there, having attained her port, she continues 

 to sit in great tranquillity, regardless of the impetuosity of the 

 current ; and though the water penetrates her nest, she hatches 

 her eggs in that wet condition. 



The water-hen never wanders ; but the coot sometimes swims 

 down the current, till it even reaches the sea. In this voyage 

 these birds encounter a thousand dangers : as they cannot fly 

 far, they are hunted by dogs and men ; as they never leave the 

 stream, they are attacked and destroyed by otters ; they are 

 preyed upon by kites and falcons ; and they are taken in still 

 greater numbers in weirs made for catching tish ; for these birds 

 are led into the nets, while pursuing small fish and insects, which 

 are their principal food. Thus animated nature affords a picture 

 of universal invasion ! Man destroys the otter, the otter de- 

 stroys the coot, the coot feeds upon fish, and fish are universally 

 the tyrants of each other ! 



To these birds, with long legs and finny toes, I will add one 

 species more, with short legs and finny toes ; I mean the Grebe. 

 The entire resemblance of this bird's appetites and manners to 

 those of the web-footed class, might justly induce me to rank it 

 among them ; but as it resembles those above described, in the 

 peculiar form of its toes, and bears some similitude in its man- 

 ners also, I will for once sacrifice method to brevity. The 

 grebe is much larger than either of the former, and its plumage 

 white and black ; it differs also entirely in the shortness of its 

 legs, which are made for swimming, and not walking : in fact, 

 they are from the knee upward hid in the belly of the bird, and 

 have consequently very little motion. By this mark, and by the 

 scolloped fringe of the toes, may this bird be easily distinguished 

 from all others. 



As they are thus, from the shortness of their wings, ill formed 

 for flying, and from the uncommon shortness of their legs utterly 

 unfitted for walking, they seldom leave the water, and chiefly 

 frequent those broad shallow pools where their faculty of swim- 

 ming can be turned to the greatest advantage, in fishing and 

 seeking their prey. 



