CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



TITLE-PAGE . . . . . . .-- . i 



y PREFACE . ....... . . ... . 5 



CONTENTS '.-..' ..... . . . .' 7 



GLOSSARY ....." n 



TOPOGRAPHY OF A BIRD . . . : . . . . . .' . 12 



INTRODUCTION 13 



What a bird is . . . . -. . . 13 



The wing ... -. . . . . . 13 



The tail ............... 15 



The leg and foot . . . . . . . - . . . . 16 



The bill . . . . . . ; . . ... ..... 17 



How TO MEASURE A BIRD . :. . 20, 21 



INDEX TO KEY TO FAMILIES. WATER BIRDS .... 22 



KEY TO FAMILIES. WATER BIRDS . 23 



GROUP i. Toes, four, with lobate webs, or webs on sides 



of toes . 23 



GROUP 2. Toes, four; front toes, palmate (full webbed); 



hind toe not connected with front ones by web 24 

 GROUP 3. Toes, four, full webbed; hind toe connected 



with front ones by web . .... . . .~ . 27 



GROUP 4. Toes, four, not full webbed; small webs. be- 

 tween toes at base, or toes entirely without web 28 

 Section i. Hind toe, raised above level of front toes 28 

 Section 2. Hind toe, on level with front toes . ', 30 

 GROUP 5. Toes, three, full webbed; no hind toe . . . 32 

 GROUP 6. Toes, three; a small web between toes, or 



entirely without web ...--....". 33 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF WATER BIRDS OF ILLINOIS AND 



WISCONSIN . . . J . 35 



FAMILY COLYMBID^E. GREBES . . 35, 275 



FAMILY GAVIID.E. LOONS 37/282 



FAMILY ALCID.E. AUKS, MURRES, ETC. . . . . ... 39, 



FAMILY STERCORARIID.E. SKUAS AND J.SGERS . . . .41, 



INDEX TO KEY TO FAMILY LARID^E 42 



7 



