THE MOVEMENTS. 
21 
and Thrush; light-hopping birds, like the Finch and 
Redbreast; solemn stalkers, as the Heron and Stork; 
heavy walkers, like the Raven and the Goose; slovenly 
ones, like the Grebes and Divers; sedate waddlers, as 
the Pelican and the Duck; and helpless sliders, as the 
Auk and Guillemot. We have similar variations among 
the climbers: our forest carpenter, the Woodpecker, 
mounts the most slippery stems by a series of springs ; 
the Nuthatch comes down head-first in a similar manner; 
the spider-hunting Wallcreeper does as his name implies; 
the Treecreeper is a master-hand at gymnastics, and 
walks with the greatest comfort on the under side of 
a horizontal branch; while the monkey-like Parrot is 
obliged to use his beak to help his claws; the Titmouse 
seeks to mimic every possible method of climbing; the 
Wryneck cannot manage to do more than ascend limbs 
of trees which are off the perpendicular; while the 
Hoopoe can scarce clamber up a slanting earth-bank. 
Among the water-birds some are much more privileged 
than others: the Penguin, almost fish-like in its habits, 
chooses for its abode places where wind and water 
rage most fiercely; the Cormorant and the Darter 
(Plotus) live more in, than on, the water; the Auk, or 
Sea-parrot, dives to a depth of over a hundred feet 
to the bottom of the sea; Gulls and Terns are, like the 
Pelican, restricted to the surface of the water; the large 
Divers ride boisterously away over waves, upon which 
the Gulls are lightly tossed and cradled, and which 
the Swan, the beauteous model of the ship, cleaves 
so gracefully. Thus, some rule the depths; while others 
only move on the surface. Lastly, flight,—the grandest, 
the most charming of all movements,—is so diverse 
that a practised eye is able to recognise this or that 
