Page:Natural History, Birds.djvu/291

278 their powers in swimming, they are found to deviate from all the remaining groups of the Order. They thus become an aberrant Family, and lead directly to the succeeding Order of Natatores [the Anseres of ]." Not less interesting are the remarks of Mr. Swainson on the same subject, especially as they tend to shew a point of affinity, lying in another direction. After observing that the Rails and Water-hens, constituting a very natural Family of Waders, have been designated by these familiar names, from their peculiarly harsh notes, and from assuming much of the appearance of the Gallinaceous birds, another proof that the true analogies of nature are often perceived by the vulgar, though passed over by the scientific,—he thus proceeds:—"The most permanent differences in their structure, when compared with the foregoing Families (those of the Sandpipers and the Plovers), are, the great size of the leg, and the length of the toes, particularly the hinder one; the body is very thin and unusually flattened [vertically]; a structure particularly adapted to the habits of Rails, since they live for the most part in the tangled recesses of those reeds and aquatic vegetables which clothe the sides of rivers and morasses. They are for the most part solitary and timid birds, hiding themselves at the least approach of danger, but quitting their semi-aquatic retreats in the morning and evening, to feed in more open spots: their flight, from the shortness of their wings, is very feeble, but they run with swiftness; and by the peculiarly compressed form of their body, are able to make their