The Goal of the Wise

against wild beasts, namely the otter, or for winter. Hence it is said that against birds of prey, which also snatch prey for themselves in the waters, the aquatic birds submerge themselves in them for their own defense. Even a fearful bird has its defense in the waters. Truly, a weak bird has greater defense in the water than another stronger bird outside the water. Regarding the state which they adopt—

Such is also the one way in which they have their state while sleeping in the waters, for they are aquatic before they swim. When they remain in the waters by swimming, they do so sometimes by holding their feet in a straight position in the waters up to the knees, or one foot alone. Those, however, that do not swim, whether they be aquatic or intermediate, sometimes keep their two feet on land, or sometimes one in the waters up to the knee, or upon themselves according to the depth of the water. The greater part of birds, both aquatic and non-aquatic, when they sleep, place their head back upon their wings and upon their back. Both the swimmers and non-swimmers sleep upon one foot, holding their head between their shoulders so that the beak, which is horny—

the breast and the head may also be warmed in the flesh? and the warming of the heat ... ... ... ... ... ... ...?
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Upon one foot ... ... ...? not only water ... ... ...? all birds generate ... ... ... ... ... ... ...?
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... ... ... ... ...? they might flee. The aquatic ones ... ... ... ... ... ...? for this reason keep one foot in the water, so that when any wild beast might approach through the water by its movement, or anything else harmful to them, they might more easily sense the movement of the water. For water, by the very fact that it is moist and poorly bounded, because it is so moved, moves circularly, it moves another part of itself nearby, also circularly, and thus the movement arrives, even if the primary mover ceases, to the legs of the birds. The birds, indeed, sensing their legs being touched, fly away sooner and protect themselves. And every body which stands upon more bases stands more firmly and is moved with more difficulty than when upon fewer, which is rare. For this reason, those sleeping upon one foot are more easily moved, and they escape.

In the right margin, there is a detailed illustration of a falcon standing over a piece of meat or lure. At the bottom of the page, there are several ornithological and zoological illustrations: 1. A mallard-like duck with orange legs. 2. A large white water bird with a long bill, possibly a spoonbill or pelican. 3. A grey heron or stork standing on one leg. 4. Two dark blue cranes or egrets standing with curved necks. 5. A small brown quadruped mammal, likely a fox or a mongoose, with a long tail. The background of the images consists of simple green grassy mounds.