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“OF WATER FOWL IN GENERAL © 
"Tue principal diftin€tion between land and water 
fowl, is, that the toes of the latter are webbed for 
fwimming. Thofe who obferve the feet or toes of a 
duck, will eafily conceive how admirably they are 
formed to move in that watery element, to which they 
are moftly deftined. What man performs by art, 
when he clofes his fingers in fwimming, the water 
fowl is fupplied by nature to perform. ‘The toes are 
fo adinbavad: that, when they {trike backward, the 
broadeft hollow furface beats the water; but, as they 
draw them in again, their front furface contratts, fo. 
as not to impede their progreffive motion: . 
_ The legs of the waterfowl are generally very | 
fhort, which caufes them to walk with much difficul~ - 
ty ; they, therefore, feldom breed far from the fides 
_ of waters, where they ufually refort. / 
 Thofe of this clafs, which have long legs are ranked 
among the crane kind; fuch as the flamingo, avo- 
fetta, &c. which, although their feet are webbed for 
fwimming, they feldom make ufe of for that purpofe ; 
a proof that their webbed feet are given them for the 
_ purpofe of preventing their finking in the muddy 
_ thores, which they frequgént in fearch of their prey. 
We fhall felect a few of thofe moft worthy the no- 
tice of our readers, taking the PELICAN as the firft 
Mfubject for defcription. 


