95 
The family of Rails (Cases 70 and 71) whose habits are, 
of all these birds, the most aquatic, have many characters 
of the next order; their toes are long and slender, and 
the hind one is placed on a level with the others. The 
Jacana has the claws long and straight, and the bend 
of the wing armed with a spine; the Screamers are re¬ 
markable for the horn on the centre of the head. Others, 
as the Coot, have short claws and unarmed wings, and 
the edge of the toes fringed with a lobed membrane ; 
the Gallinules, Taleves, and Rails, have the toes simple. 
The Water Birds have their feet placed on the hinder 
part of the body, with short compressed tarsi, and the 
toes united together by a web ; and their plumage is 
close, shining, and oily: they live chiefly on fish, mol- 
lusca, and insects. Some have short or moderate wings, 
as the family of Ducics, (Cases 72—78,) which have their 
bill covered with a soft skin, and its edge serrated. The 
Merganser has a slender, serrated bill; and the Hydro- 
bates the hind toe large, and webbed beneath. The 
Swans and Geese have beautifully formed, long necks; 
the Cereopsis has the base of the beak covered by a 
yellow skin, and the Flamingo combines the long legs 
of the Waders with the shining velvet plumage, com¬ 
pressed legs, and serrated bill of the Ducks. 
The Divers (Cases 79 and 80) have very short wings, and 
the legs placed so far back on the body, that they can as¬ 
sume an erect position. They live constantly on the 
surface of the water, and dive for their food. In some, 
the wings are moderately feathered, and the bill is com¬ 
pressed at the tip, and smooth, as in the Grebes, which 
have the toes separate, and fringed on the side by a 
membrane. These birds live on lakes, and are said to 
carry their young under their wings when alarmed. 
The Finfoot has the feet of the Grebes, but the tail is 
longer, and the claws sharp; the Divers have com¬ 
pletely webbed feet, and live on the sea-coast. Others 
have the wings very short and covered with feathers, 
but no hind toe, as (same Cases) the Guillemots, 
Penguins, 
ROOM XIII. 
Nat. Hist. 
