﻿EXTERNAL ANATOMY. FEET. 125 



should have conjectured from this singular and, in 

 many respects, unique construction of foot. The colys 

 walk but badly ; but, when at rest, unlike all other birds, 

 they hang from the branches with their heads down- 

 wards ! — precisely similar to bats ! Lastly, we may 

 number the corvorants, whose four toes are all directed 

 forwards, and all of unequal lengths, gradually dimi- 

 nishing from the outermost ; a broad web connecting 

 the whole. Of the use this particular structure is to 

 these birds we can form no idea. It is known, indeed, 

 that they are most expert divers and good swimmers ; 

 and that, when upon land, they stand almost erect, sup- 

 ported by their rigid scansorial tail. 



(114?.) We are now to consider those Four-toed feet, 

 which are constructed upon the common principle of three 

 anterior and one posterior. This disposition is seen in 

 the great majority of birds, and consequently it admits of 

 much greater variety in its secondary modifications than 

 those structures we have just been describing. It is 

 impossible to assign to any one of the forms of foot, 

 possessing this disposition of the toes, a decided supe- 

 riority of perfection in all functions, any more than can 

 be done in the qualities or functions of the birds them- 

 selves. A raptorial and a perching foot are equally 

 perfect ; yet their perfections are of different kinds. A 

 union of many qualities, without having any one more 

 especially developed, is always found to indicate typical 

 pre-eminence ; and upon this principle the most perfect 

 feet are possessed by the perching birds of the order 

 Incessores, Then as to size. The smallest feet are 

 found in the Natatorial or swimming order, while the 

 largest belong to the Rasorial. This may be considered 

 a law of nature, not only among birds, but throughout 

 the class of quadrupeds; and it is as apparent in the 

 animals really belonging to these two types as in those 

 groups which analogically represent them in other cir- 

 cles. It must be remembered that it is only the hinder 

 feet of quadrupeds which can be justly compared with 

 those of birds, because the fore feet of the former be- 



