SOAKERS AND SAILERS 21 



supposed to be a speciality of the long-legged 

 waders, the extended limbs acting as a rudder. 

 But as a matter of fact the extension of the legs 

 behind in flight is normal among birds generally, 

 the only groups that draw up their legs to the 

 breast being Passerines, Woodpeckers, Barbets, and 

 Hoopoes, all undulating flyers. 



The extension of the neck is also normal in many 

 groups, but Passerines, Hoopoes, Rollers, birds of 

 prey, Herons, Pelicans, Frigate-Birds, Petrels, Gulls, 

 Shore-Birds, and the Carrion-Storks (Leptoptilus) 

 draw it in, so that here there is more latitude 

 allowed, so to speak. The finest flyers of all seem 

 generally to favour the drawn-in neck, at any rate 

 that is the pose with Eagles, Vultures, and Alba- 

 trosses, whose powers of maintaining flight for long 

 periods together without movement of the wings 

 have always evoked admiration, and still remain 

 unexplained. Albatrosses have narrow though very 

 long wings, and usually fly low ; the overland 

 soarers have shorter but very broad wings, and only 

 sail when flying high. Both groups, however, are 

 noticeably large birds ; small birds of any groups, 

 no matter how well-winged, never soar or sail very 

 far. This may be due to the need for weight to 

 give steadiness, but it is at least quite as likely that 

 it is connected with the more lively disposition of 

 small species, and with their habit and need of 

 picking up their food in small bits at frequent 

 intervals, so that they never have either the time 

 or inclination for soaring. 



