84 NORTH AMERICAX BIRDS. 



Order ANSERES. — The Lamellirostral 

 Swimmers. (P^ige i.) 



Families. 



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



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



Eggs numerous, alwaj-s unmarked, with a hard and usually smooth shell. 



Genera. 

 a'. Neck shorter than bodj% 



b\ Tarsus shorter than middle toe, without claw. 



c'. Lower mandible without trace of lamella) along the aide, but with a 

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

 (Subfamily Mergina-.) 

 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'. Serrations of both mandibles short, blunt, and not distinctly 



inclined backward at tips Lophodytes. (Page 89.) 



(P. Culmen shorter than tarsus Mergus. (Page 90.) 



c*. Lower mandible with a very distinct series of lamolhi) along the side, 

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

 (P. Lower portion of tarsus in front with a row of transverse scutellse. 

 e'. Lores cntirelj- densely feathered ; wing less than 12.00. 

 /'. Tail normal. 



g''. Ilind-toe without a distinct membraneous lobe. 

 A". Bill not spatulate. 



f. 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 claw. 



Anas. (Pago 90.) 



f. Tail graduated for more than one-third 



its total length, consisting of 16 



