Abbott. He says that "the water-thrushes (Seiurus sp.)
all wade in water, and often, seeing minute mollusca on the bottom of
the stream, plunge both head and neck beneath the surface, so that
often, for several seconds, a large part of the body is submerged. Now
these birds still have the plumage pervious to water, and so are liable
to be drenched and sodden; but they have also the faculty of giving
these drenched feathers such a good shaking that flight is practicable a
moment after leaving the water. Certainly the water-thrushes (Seiurus
ludovicianus, S. auricapillus, and S. noveboracensis) have taken many
preliminary steps to becoming as aquatic as the dipper; and the
winter-wren, and even the Maryland yellow-throat are not far
behind."[40]
Another curious example of the way in which species have been modified
to occupy new places in nature, is afforded by the various animals which
inhabit the water-vessels formed by the leaves of many epiphytal species
of Bromelia. Fritz Mueller has described a caddis-fly larva which lives
among these leaves, and which has been modified in the pupa state in
accordance with its surroundings.
Pages:
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221