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INTRODUCTION 
TO WATER BIRDS. 
and described. This class naturally forms an intermediate link between 
the Land Birds and the Web-footed, partaking, in their form, food and 
habits, of the characters of both ; and equally deserving of our regard 
and admiration. Though formed for traversing watery situations, often 
in company with the Swimmers, they differ from these last in one cir- 
cumstance common to Land Birds, the separation of the toes nearly to 
their origin ; and in the habit of seldom venturing beyond their depth. 
On the other hand, they are furnished with legs of extraordinary length, 
bare for a considerable space above the knees, by the assistance of which 
they are enabled to walk about in the water in pursuit of their prey, 
where the others are obliged to swim ; and also with necks of corres- 
ponding length, by means of which they can search the bottom for food, 
where the others must have recourse to diving. The bills of one family 
(the Herons) are strong, sharp pointed, and of considerable length ; 
while the flexibility of the neck, the rapidity of its action, and remark- 
able acuteness of sight, wonderfully fit them for watching, striking, and 
securing their prey. Those whose food consists of more feeble and 
sluggish insects, that lie concealed deeper in the mud, are provided 
with bills of still greater extension, the rounded extremity of which pos- 
sesses such nice sensibility, as to enable its possessor to detect its prey 
the instant it comes in contact with it, though altogether beyond the 
reach of sight. 
Other families of this same order, formed for traversing the sandy 
sea-beach in search of small shell-fish that lurk just below the surface, 
have the bills and legs necessarily shorter ; but their necessities requir- 
ing them to be continually on the verge of the flowing or retreating 
wave, the activity of their motions forms a striking contrast with the 
patient habits of the Heron tribe, who sometimes stand fixed and mo- 
tionless, for hours together, by the margin of the pool or stream, watch- 
ing to surprise their scaly prey. 
Some few again, whose favorite food lies at the soft oozy bottoms of 
shallow pools, have the bill so extremely slender and delicate, as to be 
altogether unfit for penetrating either the muddy shores, or sandy 
sea-beach ; though excellently adapted for its own particular range, 
where lie the various kinds of food destined for their subsistence. Of 
this kind are the Avosets of the present volume, who not only wade with 
great activity in considerably deep water ; but having the feet nearly 
half-webbed, combine in one the characters of both wader and swimmer. 
It is thus, that by studying the living manners of the different tribes in 
their native retreats, we not only reconcile the singularity of some parts 
of their conformation with Divine wisdom ; but are enabled to compre- 
hend the reason of many others, which the pride of certain closet natu- 
ralists has arraigned as lame, defective and deformed. 
One observation more may be added : the migrations of this class of 
