278 PEET OF SWIMMING BIRDS. 



turn the foot outwards, because that is the best 

 position for its readily laying hold. When the neces- 

 sity that there is for its action is known, the action 



Parrot. 



itself may be easily inferred from inspection of the 

 annexed figure. 



SWIMMING FEET. 



There are not so many diversities of form in the 

 feet of aquatic birds as in those which inhabit the 

 land, whether they seek their food on the earth 

 itself, or upon vegetable substances. The element 

 is the same, or nearly the same^ in all water birds, 

 so that the only thing which remains to which the 

 feet have to be adapted is the difference in habit 

 among the birds themselves. Tl^re is, however, one 

 difference of element which requires a corresponding 

 modification of the foot : there are some birds which 

 are very exclusively in the water, and, as such, water 

 birds, in the form of their bodies and the manner in 

 which their feet are articulated ; but they frequent 

 those waters which are full of the stems of reeds and 

 other aquatic plants, among which the structure of 

 foot which is best for action in the clear or open 



