84 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Order ANSERES. — The Lamellirostral 



Swimmers. (Page i.) 



Families. 



(Characters same as for the Order) Anatidae. (Page 84.) 



Family ANATIDiE. — The Ducks, Geese, and Swans. (Page 84.) 

 Eggs numerous, always unmarked, with a hard and usually smooth shell. 



Genera. 



i}. Keck shorter than body. 



b^. Tarsus shorter than middle toe, without claw. 



c\ Lower mandible without trace of lamellae along the side, but with a 

 series of distinct, tooth-like serrations along the upper edge. 

 (Subfamily Merginoi^ 

 d}. Culmen longer than tarsus, and three times, or more, the depth of 

 bill at base. 

 e\ Serrations of both mandibles very conspicuously tooth-like, 

 and strongly inclined backward at tips. 



Merganser. (Page 88.) 

 e^. Sex'rations of both mandibles short, blunt, and not distinctly 



inclined backward at tips Lophodytes. (Page 89.) 



d'\ Culmen shorter than tarsus Mergus. (Page 90.) 



c^. Lower mandible with a very distinct series of lamellae along the side, 

 in addition to the series along upper edge. (Subfamily Anatince.) 

 d}. Lower portion of tarsus in front with a row of transverse scutellce. 

 e^. Lores entirely densely feathered ; wing less than 12.00. 

 f^. Tail normal. 



g^. Hind-toe without a distinct membraneous lobe. 

 h^. Bill not spatulate. 



i^. Tail-feathers narrow and pointed at tip. 



/. Tail graduated for less than one-third its 

 total length, or else consisting of only 

 14 feathers, and culmen shorter than 

 middle toe without tarsus. 



Anas. (Page 90.) 



j^. Tail graduated for more than one-third 



its total length, consisting of 16 



