I 



knife, that in striking they may easily cut the water: 

 while the feet are palmated, and broad for swim- 

 ming, yet so folded up when advanced forward to 

 take a fresh stroke, as to be full as narrow as the 

 shank. The two exterior toes of the feet are long- 

 est ; the nails flat and broad, resembling the human, 

 which give strength and increase the power of swim- 

 ming. The foot, when expanded, is not at right 

 angles to the leg or body of the bird ; but the exte- 

 rior part inclining towards the head forms an acute 

 angle with the body ; the intention being not to give 

 motion in the line of the legs themselves, but by the 

 combined impulse of both in an intermediate line — 

 the line of the body. 



Most people know, that have observed at all, that 

 the swimming of birds is nothing more than a walk- 

 ing in the water, where one foot succeeds the other 

 as on the land ; yet no one, as far as I am aware, has 

 remarked that diving fowls, while under water, im- 

 pel and row themselves forward by a motion of their 

 wings, as well as by the impulse of their feet: but 

 such is really the case, as any person may easily be 

 convinced, who will observe ducks when hunted by 

 dogs in a clear pond. Nor do I know that any one 

 has given a reason why the wings of diving fowls are 

 placed so forward : doubtless, not for the purpose of 

 promoting their speed in flying, since that position 

 certainly impedes it ; but probably for the increase 



of their motion under water, by the use of four oars 



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