NATATORES AND GRALLATORES. 



127 



cranes and storks. It will be noticed that the Grallatores which visit us, 

 or pass over us, are much more numerous than the Natatores ; and, unless 

 I am mistaken, observation in the plains of India would satisfactorily 

 prove that this is a just and decisive indication of the superior prevalence 

 of wading over swimming birds in that extensive region. India, I fancy, 

 is too hot for the taste of the Natatores — a great majority of which seem 

 to affect arctic regions, or, at least, high latitudes : I throw out the 

 remark for canvass and enquiry : and, for fear I should deceive any one 

 by the display of the Genus ' Cygnas' at the head of my list, I must 

 add that the wild swan was never seen here but once, in the mid winter 

 of 1828, when the apparition suggested a new version of the well known 

 hexameter — 



' Rara avis in terris, alboque simillima cygno,' 



Such a bird is never seen, I suppose, in the plains of India? 



None of the Natatores stay with us, beyond a week or two, in autumn, 

 (when the rice fields tempt them) or beyond a few days, in spring; 

 excejjt the teal, the widgeon, and the coot, which remain for the whole sea- 

 son, upon some few tanks whose sanctity precludes all molestation of 

 them. There are cormorants throughout the season upon the larger 

 rivers within the mountains; but none ever halt in the valley, beyond a 

 day or two : for so long, however, both they and pelicans may be seen, 

 occasionally, on the tanks just mentioned. 



Lest any one should admire my enumeration of Larus, and Sterna — 

 birds which usually aftect the high seas — I think it proper expressly to 

 say that I have killed both (ho rcd-lcgged Gall, and a genuinely pelagic 

 Tern, in the valley ! But, so iiavc 1 Jlahin^- Eagles; and, in truth, who 

 shall limit the wanderings of these loiig-wiiigcd birds of the Ethcrial 

 expanse ? 



