on the shoulders. Most birds, indeed, fly with the head 

 drawn back towards the body. The appearance of some of 

 these birds on the wing can be seen at a glance on turning 

 to the page illustrating this aspect of flight. 



Not so very long ago a great controversy was waged as 

 to what birds did with their legs during flight. Many of the 

 older artists invariably depicted them drawn up under the 

 breast. But as a matter of fact, this method seems to be 

 confined to the Passerine birds — ^the " perching birds," such 

 as crows and finches and their kin. It has yet to be settled 

 what obtains among what are known as the " Picarian " 

 birds, such as kingfishers, bee-eaters, woodpeckers, and so 

 on. The legs and feet of these birds are so small, and their 

 flight is so rapid, that the matter is by no means an easy one 

 to settle. But all other birds carry the legs and toes bent 

 backwards, under the tail. In the gulls, this can easUy be 

 seen, and easier stiU in the case of tlie common heron, where 

 they are, as it were, trailed out behind — owing to the shortness 

 of the taU and the great length of the leg. The puffin carries 

 them " splayed " out on each side of his tail, and so also do 

 his kinsmen, the razor-biUs and guillemots. 



The legs, as a rule, take no part ii^ flight. True, they can 

 be seen thrust out just before alighting, but this is solely for 

 the purpose of effecting a safe landing. But where guUs 

 can be watched at close quarters, as in harbours, round a 



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