. The bird, its form and function . Fig. 286.—Nuthatch on tree,clinging upside down. Fig. 287.—Nuthatch clinging to a glovedhand. (Bowdish, photographer.) The creepers, Fig. 240, are passerine woodpeckersin habit and forever wind their spiral paths about thetree-trunks. But the nuthatch is the marv^el of thewhole Class of birds in this climbing ability. With nosupport whatever from the tail, and without specialadaptation of toes, it defies all laws of gravitation andcreeps up and down or around the vertical trunks, as ifon a level surface. Never a misstep, never a slip, but 360 The Bird each f
. The bird, its form and function . Fig. 286.—Nuthatch on tree,clinging upside down. Fig. 287.—Nuthatch clinging to a glovedhand. (Bowdish, photographer.) The creepers, Fig. 240, are passerine woodpeckersin habit and forever wind their spiral paths about thetree-trunks. But the nuthatch is the marv^el of thewhole Class of birds in this climbing ability. With nosupport whatever from the tail, and without specialadaptation of toes, it defies all laws of gravitation andcreeps up and down or around the vertical trunks, as ifon a level surface. Never a misstep, never a slip, but 360 The Bird each foothold as secure as if its feet were vacuum-cupped. In the swallows the feet are very small, having falleninto disuse with the great increase of the power of and weaver-birds make occasional use of theirfeet to hold a strand of grass or string which they areweaving with their beaks into their elaborate nests, andcertain flycatchers pounce upon and hold their insect
Size: 1541px × 1621px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1906
