28 



FORM AjSTI) HABIT: THE FEET. 



water-loving Divers, Auks, Gulls, Cormorants, and Ducks. 

 In tlie wading Ilei'ons and marsli-inhabiting Kails and 

 Gallinules tlio web is absent, l:)ut it rea]3pears in the form 

 of lol)es on the toes of the aquatic Coots of the same 

 family. 



Some sliore-iuliabiting Snipe liave the bases of the 

 toes united by webs, but the Phalaropes, of two species, 

 ha^•e lobed toes n(.)t unlike those of the Coots, and are 

 true swimming Snipe living on the sea for long periods. 



Length of foot is largely dejjendent upon length of 

 neck. This is illustrated by the Herons, and is particu- 

 larly well shown l)y the 

 long-necked Flamingo, 

 which has a foot twelve 

 inches long. Its toes 

 are weblied, and it can 

 wade in deep water and 

 search for food on the 

 bottom by immersing 

 its long neck and its 

 head. 



In the tropical Ja- 

 canas the toes and toe- 

 nails are much length- 

 ened, enabling the bird 

 to pass over the water 

 on acpiatic plants. I 

 have seen these Inrds 

 walking on small lily 

 leaves, which sank be- 

 neath their weight, giv- 

 ing one the impression 

 that they were -walking on the water (see Fig. 10). 



Many ground-feeding Itirds use the feet in scratching 

 for food ; Chickens are famihar examples. Towhees and 



Fig. 14. — FlaminLTO, sliou'ing relative length 

 of legs and neelv in a ^\■atling bird. 

 ( Much reduced. ) 



