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#tt tiff dDrmtjinlagij nf Mk 



No. 5. — ON THE FEET OF BIKDS. 



In my last paper on the Ornithology of Wilts, following up 

 the general subject of the structure of birds, I entered at some 

 length into the variety of formation in their beaks, showing how 

 exactly suited they were, each to its appointed use, and what 

 admirable marks they presented for correct classification: but no 

 less adapted to their requirements, no less various, and therefore 

 no less characteristic of the family to which they belong than the 

 beaks, are their feet: these are so perfectly framed for the various 

 uses to which their respective possessors must apply them, and 

 differ so very widely in construction one from another, that a glance 

 at the foot will at once point out to the observer what the habits 

 and what the general nature of the bird must be. 



All birds resemble one another in this particular up to a certain 

 point — viz., in that all are bipeds, and the legs which support their 

 feet are invariably composed of three parts: these are, the thigh, 

 which is very high up, very short, and quite out of sight ; the 

 leg or "tibia," which inexperienced observers are apt erroneously 

 to call the thigh; and the instep or "tarsus," which is as often 

 falsely called the leg. It is this last part (the "tarsus") which 

 alone is much seen, the remaining parts being usually concealed 

 by the body and the feathers of the bird. Beyond this point of 

 general structure, in which the legs of all birds participate, and in 

 which they also resemble the human leg (though the extreme 

 length of the instep, and the shortness and concealment of the 

 thigh have caused very general errors on the subject), they differ 

 from one another in many ways; thus, some are extremely long, 

 others are exceedingly short ; some are quite bare of feathers, others 



