AVES 



339 



web-footed birds, Is deemed a prophet of rough weather. The 

 albatross^ immortalized by Coleridge in his " Rime of the Ancient 

 Mariner," is one of the largest of the flying birds with a wing stretch 

 of from twelve to fifteen feet and may weigh twenty pounds. It 

 is able to fly and soar for hours. The gannets are sea birds fre- 

 quenting the colder regions, coming ashore during stormy weather. 



— JUk^. 



Black Tern 



=■ fa-* 



Herring Gull 



Fig. 185. A, black tern. 5, herring gull. (From L. A. Fuertes. Courtesy of 



Slingerland-Comstock Publishing Co.) 



Order 4. Steganopodes. — The cormorants are large sea-coast 

 birds. They are voracious fish eaters, coming to inland lakes during 

 the breeding season. The Chinese tame them and use them in 

 catching fish. The darters or " snake birds " are not marine, but 

 frequent inlets of the sea and fresh water lakes. They excel as 

 divers, but are poor flyers. The frigate birds or " man-of-war 

 birds " are true sea birds, only coming to shore to nest. They have 

 long wings, and an extremely long tail. Their legs are weak, but 

 they are remarkable flyers. The pelicans are large tropical birds. 

 The large bill and lower jaw are provided with large pouches in 

 which are stored fish. They are known to many by their stubby tail 

 and short legs. (Figure i86.) 



Order 5. Anseriformes. — The swans are large birds, graceful in 

 form and movement. They are pugnacious and quarrelsome. 

 Their voice is " like a blast from a French horn," but musical when 

 given by a large flock in chorus. The trumpeter-swan is white. 

 The geese are intermediate between swans and ducks in some 

 characteristics, especially in the length of the neck. (Figure 187.) 

 Some ducks are feathered brilliantly. One of the most handsome 



