BIRDS. 



feet nearer together, as in land birds, they would, when in 

 action, rather hinder than assist one another. 



This Golymbus was of considerable bulk, weighing only 

 three drachms short of three pounds avoirdupois. It 

 measured in length from the bill to the tail (which was very 

 short) two feet; and to the extremities of the toes four 

 inches more ; and the breadth of the wings expanded was 

 forty- two inches. A person attempted to eat the body, but 

 found it very strong and rancid, as is the flesh of all birds 

 living on fish. Divers or loons, though bred in the most 

 northerly parts of Europe, yet are seen with us in very 

 severe winters ; and on the Thames are called sprat loons, 

 because they prey much on that sort of fish. 



The legs of the Golymbi and Mergi are placed so very 

 backward, and so out of all centre of gravity, that these birds 

 cannot walk at all. They are called by Linnaeus compedes, 

 because they move on the ground as if shackled or fettered. 1 



1 These accurate and ingenious observations, tending to set forth in a 

 proper light the wonderful works of God in the creation, and to point 

 out His wisdom in adapting the singular form and position of the limbs 

 of this bird to the particular mode in which it is destined to pass the 

 greatest part of its life in an element much denser than the air, do Mr. 

 White credit, not only as a naturalist, but as a man and as a philosopher, 

 in the truest sense of the word, in my opinion ; for were we enabled to 

 trace the works of nature minutely and accurately, we should find, not 

 only that every bird, but every creature, was equally well adapted to 

 the purpose for which it was intended ; though this fitness and propriety 

 of form is more striking in such animals as are destined to any uncommon 

 mode of life. 



I have had in my possession two birds, which, though of a different 

 genus, bear a great resemblance to Mr. White's Colymbus, in their 

 manner of life, which is spent chiefly in the water, where they swim and 

 dive with astonishing rapidity, for which purpose their fin-toed feet, 

 placed far behind, and very short wings, are particularly well adapted, 

 and show the wisdom of God in the creation as conspicuously as the bird 

 before mentioned. These birds were the greater and lesser crested 

 grebe, Podiceps cristatus et auritus. What surprised me most was, that 

 the first of these birds was found alive on dry ground, about seven miles 

 from the sea, to which place there was no communication by water. 

 How did it get so far from the sea ? its wings and legs being so ill 

 adapted either to flying or walking. The lesser crested grebe was also 

 found in a fresh water pond which had no communication with other 

 water, at some miles distance from the sea. MARKWICK. 



