V 



OP SELBORNE. 85 



site name of fechasse, Mj specimen, when 

 drawn and stuffed with pepper, weighed 

 only four ounces and a quarter, though 

 the naked part of the thigh measured three 

 inches and a half, and the legs four inches, 

 and a half. Hence we may safely assert 

 that these birds exhibit, weight for inches 

 incomparably the greatest length of legs of 

 any known bird. The Jlamingo, for in- 

 stance, is one of the most long-legged birds, 

 and yet it bears no manner of proportion 

 to the himantopus ; for a cock flamingo 

 weighs, at an average, about four pounds 

 avoirdupois ; and his legs and thighs mea- 

 sure usually about twenty inches. But four 

 pounds are fifteen times and a fraction more 

 than four ounces, and one quarter ; and if 

 four ounces and a quarter have eight inches 

 of legs, four pounds must have one hun- 

 dred and twenty inches and a fraction of 

 legs ; viz. somewhat more than ten feet ; 

 such a monstrous proportion as the world 

 never saw ! If you should try the experi- 

 ment in still larger birds the disparity 

 would still increase. It must be matter of 



