THE COOT. 257 



culty. But the foot of the coot is another of those instances, 

 of which there are not a few in the structure of birds, in 

 which the very master-pieces (so to speak) of nature's me- 

 chanics are considered clumsy, for no other reason than 

 because we will not examine them, and find out why they 

 are thus constructed. The coot's foot has a compound func- 

 tion to perform, and therefore it must be a compound instru- 

 ment. We look at it only in one of its uses, or rather we 

 look merely at its form, (for when used either way, it is used 

 cleverly,) and hence we draw the conclusion from our own 

 ignorance. 



In order that the coot may properly fill that place which 

 appears to be assigned to it in the economy of nature, it must 

 swim, and also walk, and even perch upon a tree upon emer- 

 gency ; and, though it is not launched upon the broad waters 

 like those pelagic tribes that fish, nor is it capable of procuring 

 its food by the touch of a dabbling bill like the swimmers in 

 the shallows, it must swim to considerable distances, and with 

 some rapidity. In order to do this, it must have the centre 

 of gravity considerably in front of the articulation of the 

 legs, so that these may act in the wake of the body, and 

 have the advantage of the eddy. It must also swim clean, 

 and without those projecting feathers which are found on the 

 sides of the gallinule, and which, though they assist in making 

 it buoyant when moving slowly, would either impede a quick 

 motion, or be flattened to the sides, and have their buoyancy 

 destroyed by it. The form of the body, the position of the 

 legs, and the extent of the toes, with their lobed margins, 

 answer these purposes remarkably well, so that the coot is 

 a very efficient swimming bird. 



But, again, the coot has to walk, and as that is a lifting 

 motion, while swimming is merely pushing along, the weight 

 being supported by the water, some modification is required. 

 The swimming foot is converted into a very efficient walking 



VOL. II. S 



