252 THE WORLD OF ANIMAL LIFE 



bird is sitting, it doubles its long legs under its body, after the 

 manner of a heron. 



These beautiful birds will not remain in this locality very much 

 longer. Before many days have passed, the eggs will all have been 

 hatched, and a few weeks later the young will be fledged and 

 ready to fly. By that time the heat of the summer will be coming 

 on, and, in order to escape it, the whole flock will take flight for 

 Southern Europe, where they will remain until late in the autumn. 



ANSERES 



The familiar birds Ducks, Geese, and Swans are all embraced 

 under the family name Anseres. It is an extensive group as we 

 all know, and some of its members are found in almost every 

 country in the world. 



THE DUCK 



If we had never before seen a Duck, and knew nothing at all 

 about it, we should still be able to tell, just by looking at it, that 

 it was intended to spend a great part of its life in the water. 



This we should know by its broad, webbed feet, the toes being 

 quite joined together by a connecting membrane. Webbed 

 feet are always a sign that the animal which possesses them is 

 able to swim. The otter, the beaver, the swan, and the frog, as 

 well as the duck, all have webbed feet. And these they use as 

 paddles with which to row themselves through the water. 



Then we should notice that the body of the duck is not balanced 

 like the bodies of other birds, its legs being set very far back. 

 That is why it cannot walk so steadily as a fowl or a turkey, and 

 waddles along in such an awkward way. What the bird loses, 

 however, in its progression on land it gains in the water. When 

 a man is rowing, you will notice that his oars are always rather 

 behind the middle of the boat, because then it is much more easy 



