NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 215 
shape of the wings of water birds, at the end of what is said under the heading 
of “ Cold Weather.” 
One of the best and clearest observations I ever had was some twenty or 
twenty-five years ago. I was leaning over a wall at Plymouth, looking seawards 
and planning some engineering work. The tide was low, and in a hollow 
amongst the rocks, close under me, some ten or fifteen yards long and not so 
broad, was left a clear pool of water, which evidently contained good food for 
birds, for, under the surface of the water was flying, and using only the wings 
for propulsion, though, of course, the feet came into action in turning or getting 
out of the water to breathe, a bird of the proportions of a good-sized snipe, but 
not so stout and not of that tribe, for the bill was short. I kept quite quiet, 
resting my chin on top of the wall and hardly moving my eyes even, and so 
had a good ten minutes’ observation. Fortunately we were not disturbed by 
passers-by. 
A year or two ago, in the early morning, at about 6 or 7 o’clock, I was on 
the bridge at Zurich, where the clear water from the lake runs by at some speed. 
A dabchick came along, pecking at some small weed 01 lichen that grew at high 
water mark on the wall. This bird, when moving under water used the feet only. 
I took particular care to notice this. 
On the water, and in it, at St. James’s Park are some rather small ducks ; I 
presume they are named shovellers, for the bills are large and spread out at the 
ends for grubbing for food in the beds of pools and rivers and seas. The bird 
is lighter than water — at any rate when he takes in air, as man can do also — and 
when he goes to the bottom he gets down and maintains himself there by upward 
strokes of the feet. Directly he ceases to use the feet in this manner his lightness 
very speedily brings him to the surface. 
In the same way you can see at Aden the white soles of the natives w'ho dive 
from the ship’s side for silver coin thrown into the water by' passengers. When 1 
was quartered in 1869 at that rather warm station, from the high cliffs of Marshag 
I used to watch by the hour the movements of gulls and cormorants. 
I do not see that gulls, as a rule, fly under the surface of the water, but the 
shape of their wings and body show that they can if they choose. They, however, 
prefer to seek food ashore to going far under water for it. See how they come 
inland some miles, when the sea is rough or in cold weather, to follow the 
plough. 
I should be glad to have it stated how far gulls will come ashore for food. 
I have certainly seen them more than ten miles inland, but do not remember 
noticing them at Bromsgrove, where I was at school for seven years, and which 
place is some ninety miles from the sea coast — almost as far as you can get away 
from it in Britain. 
I wish here to further show that water birds are by no means averse to other 
food than fish. Fishing eagles, of which there are many on the lake of Geneva, 
so long as the water is warm enough to attract fish to the surface, are also to be 
found in company with crows, in the trees on the steep Glion precipice above 
Montreux, waiting for the emptying of dust and refuse bins through the aperture 
in the wall at the top. Strike the door of the hole in the wall with your stick, 
and they are at once on the wing. 
As to cormorants, they are much more adept fishers than gulls. See a number 
of the latter above a school of fish, dropping straight down, one by one, almost 
leisurely, just dipping in the water, and rising again with their food. Along 
comes a cormorant : like a flash of lightning, he pierces the water at any angle 
that suits him, is constantly active, and pursues his quarry under water. 
There was, some time back, a discussion in the columns of the Field news- 
paper as to how the cormorant moves under water. I did not read all the 
correspondence, but so far as I can remember of what I did see, one side said 
he flew under water, the other that he used his feet. I think it will be admitted 
some day that this wonderful bird, when enjoying his liberty, uses his wings, but 
that in confinement, as in a Zoological garden, where his powers have degenerated 
and food is brought to him, he may use the feet only. 
Obviously animals, including man and birds, before diving naturally take in 
air to make the body light under water and to oxygenate the blood — a double 
purpose. The use of the air bladder in fish I need not here explain. And as 
regards the use of wings or feet, I hope I may be allowed to say that for many 
