664> CLASS AVES. 



Of the habits of Cereopsis, a New Holland bird, little is 

 known, except that it can easily be tamed and domesticated. 

 This genus is placed by Latham with the grallae, and its feet 

 are not webbed to the claws. 



The numerous species of the Ducks, which have been sub- 

 divided into several sections by our author, people, in all 

 parts of the world, the shores of the sea and of rivers. All 

 swim with ease, and dive in search of their prey. They do 

 not quit their favourite domicile, but when the care of their 

 offspring attaches them to the shore ; but as soon as the 

 young are disclosed, they conduct them to their favourite 

 sojourn. In fact, humidity can neither penetrate them, nor 

 cause them to lose any portion of their agility, in consequence 

 of the sebaceous humour with which their feathers are be- 

 smeared. Their broad and palmated feet constitute them most 

 peculiarly the inhabitants of the liquid element, and, accord- 

 ingly, they are never at home elsewhere, and seem even to be 

 afraid to set foot on land. It is true that their feet, habi- 

 tuated to a humid surface, may, perhaps, be wounded by the 

 roughness of the ground. Moreover, the articulation of the 

 femur so far back, renders walking a difficult and awk- 

 ward operation to them. But on the water, all their motions 

 and functions are executed with facility, and all their evolu- 

 tions performed with grace. 



The element which the ducks inhabit constantly supplies 

 them with subsistence, which they take without fatigue, and 

 often find without pain or trouble. We find that their species 

 are more equally distributed in both continents, than those of 

 many other genera. All, or almost all of them, retire, at the 

 epoch of reproduction, into the most northern climes, because 

 they find there an asylum nearly impenetrable, and necessary 

 for the long infancy of their young. They remain there, for 

 the whole season of the very long days in those latitudes, and 

 do not quit them until autumn, to pass into more southern 



