FEATHERED ATHLETES 75 



lighter than an equal volume of water, to remain 

 thus silently submerged, no one knows. It may- 

 be that this athlete has swallowed pebbles like the 

 penguins of the north, or again it may be that the 

 bird has learned some new power of balance which 

 man may discover in the distant future. 



The cormorant is only one of the many water- 

 birds whose habits are baffling to the mind of man. 

 These strange people of the water have air-sacs 

 distributed over their bodies and directly connected 

 with their throat and lungs; these air-sacs make 

 their bodies exceedingly light in proportion to their 

 size. In addition, their coats of feathery plumage 

 make them still lighter; as a result, many of them 

 practically float on the very surface of the water. 



In the bird world there is a certain amount of 

 competitive sport between different varieties of 

 athletes, though the rivalry is not nearly so preva- 

 lent as it is among boys. As in the human world, 

 this competition teaches those qualities so much 

 needed — self-control, obedience, and leadership. It 

 also arouses a spirit of emulation, and brings about 

 a perfection of the physical body as is attained in 

 no other way. Birds need every faculty developed 

 that they may meet and conquer all difficulties in 

 their search for food, in migration, and in war. 

 Incidentally, the general development as the world 



