68 THE HUMAN SIDE OF BIRDS 



protection through rapid pedestrianism. Many a 

 race is run and honours won by young ostriches on 

 the plains. 



Bird racers are plentiful. The bustards and 

 plovers are among the swiftest ; the sandpipers and 

 larks the nimblest; while the road runners are the 

 most direct in their methods, and the only ones that 

 indulge in relay races. While these relay races 

 may be the result of fellow-racers suddenly appear- 

 ing at a certain post, an onlooker would believe 

 them to have been definitely arranged beforehand. 



There are many professional divers in the bird 

 world. The depth to which they can descend, and 

 the length of time they can remain under water, 

 depend entirely upon the bird. Like human div- 

 ers, some can remain imder water for several 

 minutes while others can stay under for only a few 

 seconds. Unquestionably, the greatest diver is the 

 eider duck. He not only dives the deepest, but 

 remains under water the longest. These interest- 

 ing friends of the deep often dive four hundred 

 feet under the surface, and remain there from four 

 to six minutes. The northern diver, on rare occa- 

 sions, remains under water from eight to ten 

 minutes. These deep-sea divers aj*e running great 

 risks, however, when they remain under water so 

 long, for if they should in any way get entangled 



