THE WATER FOWL. 



The Water-Fowl comprise the Swans, the 

 Geese, and the Ducks. 



The Swans are perhaps best separated 

 by reason of their long necks and bare 

 cheeks, but there is no line of demarcation 

 between the Geese and the Ducks. The 

 typical Goose and the typical Duck of 

 our farmyards are sufficiently distinct, it 

 is true ; but when treating of a large 

 number of species of Water Fowl, we 

 find a perfect chain of links between the 

 Geese and Ducks, just as in treating of 

 the Gallinaceous Birds we found the 

 Pheasant and the Partridge linked to- 

 gether by numerous groups possessing 

 some of the characters of both species. 



I have, therefore, not attempted to 

 divide the Water Fowl into three large 

 sections — Swans, Geese, and Ducks — but 

 have preferred to form these birds into 

 small natural groups, to which I have 

 assigned names which are partly sane* 

 tioned by usage and partly suggested 



