A LABRADOR SPRING 
foot concealed in front and one carried behind 
appear to have only one foot. It is possible 
that the birds do this to keep the feet warm, 
but I have observed the habit in mild weather. 
The dexterity with which the herons manage 
their ungainly legs, stretching them behind in 
flight, is familiar to all. I once saw a great 
blue heron attacked in mid-air from the rear 
by a screaming tern. The heron was so startled 
that it dropped for a moment its long legs, and 
stretched out and around its snake-like neck. 
It may be stated as a rule to which, as far as I 
know, there are no exceptions, that all water 
birds carry their feet behind in flight. 
It is probable that parrots, cuckoos and 
kingfishers all carry their feet behind, but very 
few observations have been made in these 
difficult cases. 
In the woodpeckers the feet are I believe 
carried in front, while instantaneous photo- 
graphs of humming birds show that in hovering, 
at least, the feet of this bird are also carried 
in front. 
In the great order of perching birds it would 
seem natural that the feet should be carried 
in front as they fly from place to place, so as 
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