THE MOVEMENTS. 
23 
Birds, with the exception of the Auks and Guille¬ 
mots, do not walk on the sole of the foot as we do, 
but, like most mammals, on the toes; were this not the 
case they would not be able to walk so smoothly. How¬ 
ever unfavourably their legs may appear to be placed 
with reference to the body, all disadvantages arising 
therefrom are obviated by the length of the metatarsus. 
Now, this is so constructed as to be able to form such an 
angle with the lower part of the thigh as to throw the 
centre of gravity of the body between the extended toes 
of each foot, so that the leg of a bird appears as though 
it had been bent or broken; this bend is most prevalent 
among short-legged birds. The ankle is sometimes more 
or less distant from the toes, and the legs higher or 
lower accordingly. A bird, however, carries its body in a 
more or less upright position; and its thighs, which 
form the least mobile portion of the legs, are placed more 
or less horizontally. From these there result a series of 
different styles of walking, concerning which the following 
particulars may be mentioned. All birds carrying their 
bodies in either a very perpendicular or in an extremely 
horizontal position are bad walkers ; consequently all those 
which carry themselves in a position equally removed from 
these two extremes walk well. Long-legged birds are 
good walkers, though they move along with measured 
step; while the short-legged walk badly, or more gene¬ 
rally hop. All true runners have comparatively long 
legs on the average, and carry the tarsus perpendicu¬ 
larly, and the ankle but slightly bent. The principal 
action takes place in the knees and ankles; and with 
running-birds is so rapid that the eye is not able to 
distinguish the individual steps, owing to the outline of 
the legs becoming confused one with the other by their 
