350 



RETROSPECT. 



is lost^ though the foot is not, like an oar, raised out of the water 

 at every stroke. 



It has been supposed from the time of Gesner and Aldrovand to be 

 peculiar to climbing birds, to have two toes before and two behind ; but 

 this opinion, though adopted by Cuvier, Temminck, Lesson, and most 

 modern naturalists, is founded on inaccurate generalisation, for several 

 species such as the cuckoo and the wryneck, though they have their 

 toes thus constructed, never climb, while other species which do climb 

 have three toes before and one behind. The swift has all the toes 

 placed forwards, by means of which it can cling to walls, and on enter- 

 ing a narrow crevice, as under the tiles of a church, it can turn up 

 edge- ways and crawl to its nest. On account of its very short legs, the 

 swift is termed " footless *, " in books pretending to science, as is the 

 great bird of Paradise, though it really has very large feet before they 

 are cut off previous to exportation. 



The fleetness with which some birds can run is very remarkable* 

 I have often been compelled to give up the pursuit of young curlews, 

 solely because they outran me ; but this is nothing to the speed of the 

 great bustard, which, was wont to be hunted on Salisbury Plain and 

 elsewhere, with greyhounds ; and even the bustard is far exceeded by 

 the ostrich, which in the words of Job, when " she lifteth up herself 

 on high, scorneth the horse, and his rider." 



Among smaller birds, the partridge, the quail, and the corncrake are 

 very swift in running. 



RETROSPECT. 



BY EDWARD BLYTH. 



The following errata in the paper on the British fruit eating 

 warblers, published in the Field Naturalist's Magazine for July 

 last, it would be as well here to correct. In page 315, line 17, for 

 te song," read song-thrush ; line 37, for "of," read and; page 316, 

 line 25, for " merely," read much ; line 28, for furze- warbler," read 

 furze-warbler's ; page 318, line 21, for " common," read appellation ; 

 and at page 309, line 38, add, after " birds," the qualifying clause, 

 when seen at some height from the ground. 



The great length to which these remarks on the British Ficedulcs 



* In Latin, Apus. 



