FEET OF DUCKS. 



287 



bottom in so deep water. Their bodies are also not 

 quite so well trimmed to the action of the swimming- 

 feet, and they labour and wriggle more, both laterally 

 and vertically, so that, though they can float about 

 for a considerable time, they are much sooner tired 

 when they attempt to swim upon a stretch. These 

 ducks have the tarsi longer, the toes shorter, and the 

 action of the foot in swimming not so much to the 

 rear. The sheldrake is the most landward ; but the 

 foot of the common duck is perhaps very nearly the 

 averagre. 



Feet of the swimming and the diving Ducks, 



The diving ducks are bad walkers, and seldom 

 upon land ; but they are more compact in the build 

 of their bodies than the swimmers. When, however, 

 we speak of swimmers and divers, as contrasted" with 

 each other, we must bear in mind that there is no 

 definite species with which the one ends or the other 

 begins ; for there are species in the middle of the 

 group, partaking in nearly an equal degree of the 

 habits of those at both extremities. The divers have 



