SWIMMING BIRDS. 



459 



[Having excessively short wings, and the legs ) 

 placed so far back that they are obliged, when I 

 on land, to preserve almost a vertical position. | 



J 



They fly little or not at all 





I Having the wings 

 "I of ordinary length, 

 or even very long, 

 and the feet so 

 placed as to enable 1 

 the bird to walk j 

 when in a horizon- 

 tal position . 



-r, ( The thumb free I 

 1 K < or wanting, wings [ LONGIPENNES. 

 )r y i excessively long J 



The thumb united | 

 to the other toes I 

 by a common > 

 membrane, wings 

 long . . 



The teak covered by a soft 

 skin and the edges fur- 

 nished with transverse 

 ridges or very fine tooth- 

 like points . . - . 



TOTIPALMAT.E. 



LAMELLIROSTRES. 



The Short-wings ( Brachypteres *), exhibit considerable 

 relationship with the Water-hens. In these birds the legs 

 are situated further back than in any others, so that they 

 walk with difficulty, and are obliged to stand almost in 

 an upright position. They swim badly on the surface 

 of the water, and many of them cannot fly at all on 

 account of the shortness of their wings; they may, 

 therefore, be regarded as exclusively water-birds ; their 

 plumage is consequently exceedingly thick and smooth, 

 sa as to have almost a silvery appearance. They dive 

 wim great ease, using their wings almost in the same 

 manner as fins. To this family belong 



The Divers (Colymlidas), distinguishable by their smooth, straight, 

 compressed, and pointed beak. They are, however, divisible ac- 

 cording to the structure of their feet into 



The Grebes (Podiceps^\ which, instead of truly webbed feet, only 

 have their toes expanded by the addition of folds of skin at their 

 sides and base. The semi-metallic brilliancy of their plumage often 

 causes the skins of these birds to be used as a substitute for furs ; 

 they live upon the margins of lakes and ponds, and make their nests 

 among the reeds ; under some circumstances they are said to gather 

 their young under their wings. 



* &pa\vs, brachys, short : trrepov, pteron, a wing. 

 t Podex, the rump; pes, a foot so-called from the legs being 

 placed so far back. 



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