780 



COMPENDIUM OF GENERIC DISTINCTIONS. 



<r«)Mw. PiKENlCOPTERUS. — Nostrils in groove, narrow, 

 covered by nienibrane. Wings, first and second qviills 

 longest. Tail short. Hind toe nearly touching ground. 

 Habitat — Warmer parts of world. 



>!fif>-fomf/i/. Plectropterince. — Bill long, with broad 

 horny tip. Knee and end of thigh bore. Tarsi with 

 squared scales. Hind toe long. 



Gemts, Plectuophanes. — Bill, keel sloping to tip, base 

 large ; nostrils oval. Naked protuberance on base of keel. 

 Wings, second to fourth (|uills longest, a spur on the bend. 

 Tail short and round. Cheeks and part of neck bare. 

 Habitat — Africa. 



Suh-famih/. Anserinse. — Bill not larger than head, keel 

 elevated at base, sloping to tip, which has a hard homy tip. 

 Knee bare, hind toe short, partially lobed. 



Gemfs, Cereopsis. — Bill very short, arched above till 

 near tip, and then flattened ; nostrils large, rounded, in 

 cere. Wings, first quill short. Toes with indented web, 

 hind toe not lobed. Habitat — Australia. 



Genus. Anser. — Bill i-ather long, laminse at edge very 

 wide, edge of upper mandible ai'chcd at base ; nostrils in 

 middle of bill, longitudinal. Habitat^Europe, Asia, and 

 America. 



Genus. Bernicla. — Bill shorter than head, laminte not 

 exposed, but wiile ; nostrils narrow, in middle of bill. 

 Wings, first and second, or second only, longest. Tail short 

 and rounded. Hind toe very short and elevated. Habitat 

 — Many parts of world. 



iSi'b-faynifi/. Cygninae. — Bill long as head, with a soft 

 cere, bill equally broad throughout. Front toes with large 

 web, hind toe not lobed, keel very long. 



Genus. Cygnus. — Cere extending to eye, tip homy. 

 Wings, second and third quills longest. Tail short and 

 rounded. Habitat — Northern Europe, Asia, and America. 



Sfh-faviibf. Anatinse.^Bill flattened towards tip, which 

 has a iiomy termination. Hind toe long and slightly lobed. 



Genus. Aix. — Bill shorter than head, horny tip very 

 large, edges straight. Wings, second rjuill longest. Toes 

 with large web. Habitat— America and China. 



Genus. Mareca. — Bill equally broad throughout; la- 

 niinfc pronnnent. Wings, fii-st and second quills longest. 

 Habitat — Many parts of world. 



Genus. Anas. — Bill longer than head ; nostrils near base 

 of keel. Wings, first quill longest, tertial long and sharp. 

 Tail short and wedge-shaped. Habitat — Most parts of 

 world. 



Gemt^. QuERQUEDULA. — Bill long as head, homy tip, 

 hooked and narrow. Wings, second quill longest, secondaries 

 long and sharp. Habitat — Many parts of world. 



Geniis. Spatula. — Bill longer than head, narrowed at 

 base, having tip small and hooked ; lamiuie of upper man- 

 dible long and slender ; nostiils oval, near base. Habitat- 

 Most parts of world. 



Sn()-f<i7}iilt/. Fuligulinse. — Bill elevated at base, flat and 

 broad towards tip, which has a broad strong horny nail. 

 Tarsi short and compressed. Toes long, and well webbed ; 

 hind toe short, with broad membranous web. 



Genus. Fuligula. — Bill nearly long as head, edges 

 curved upwards. Wings, first quill longest. Habitat — New 

 Zealand, Northern Europe, Asia, and America. 



Genus. Nyroca. — Bill long as head, laminne not promi- 

 nent, nostrils oval, near base. Wings, first and second quills 

 longest. Habitat — Most northern parts of world. 



Genus. SoMATERlA. — Bill divided at base by feathers ; 

 front flattened and naiTowed, laminse wide. Wings, first and 

 second quills longest. Habitat — Northern Eiu'ope and 

 America, 



Suh-family. Merginae. — Bill straight, much compressed, 

 keel elevated at I'ase, convex towai'ds tip, edges notched. 

 Wings pointed. Tail short and rounded. Front toes well 

 webbed, hind toe edged with web. 



Genus. Mi:rgus. — Bill .slender, tip hooked, edges widely 

 notched. Wings, first and second quills longest. I'ail 

 gi aduated. Habitat — Northern i-egions. 



Genus. Mergkllus. — Bill much shorter than head, tip 

 broad and hooked, edges notched closely, nostrils near 

 middle of bill. Habitat — Northern regions. 



Ffunihf. GOLYMBIDJE. — Bill long, compressed, and 

 straight, nostrils in groove. Tail very short. Tarsi sbnrt 

 and much compressetl ; three front toes webbed, hind too 

 short, edged with slight membrane. 



Suh-fcunilt/. Colymbinse. — Bill, tip cui-ved, nostril at base. 

 Wings long and pointed. 



Genus. COLYAIBUS. — Wings, fii-st and second quills longest. 

 Tail rounded. Habitat — Northern regions. 



Sub-famili/, Fodlceplnee. — Bill slightly curved above at 

 tip ; nostrils oblong. Wings, first quill longest. Tail not 

 visible. Front toes broadly lobed, 



GcH'fs. PoDiCEI'S. — Nostrils in short groove. Wings, first 

 and second (juills slightly scoi'pi-tl at tii>s. Outer toe longer 

 than inner, hind too short, strongly Uilied. Habitat — Most 

 parts of world. 



Family. ALCID.S!. — Bill long, mostly cur^'ed to tip. 

 Wings short. T;ul short and graduated. Hind toe small 

 or absent. 



8uh-famili(. Alcinae. — Bill shoi-t, compressed, boldly keeled 

 above and below, top of upper mandible hooked ; nostrils 

 narrow. Wmgs moderate, first quill longest. Hind toe 

 wanting. 



Gentis. Alca. — Beak plumed at base, front half horny, 

 much compressed, keel of lower mandible curved downwards, 

 nostrils at base. Wings pointed. Habitat — Northern 

 regions. 



Genus. Fratercula. — Bill short, all homy, very deep, 

 very much compressed ; keel deep and sharp. Naked skin 

 at gape. Habitat — Northern regions. 



Suh-family. Spheniscinae. — Bill long and straight, sides 

 eompresse<l and grooved, keel rounded at tip, nostrils in 

 groove. Wings short, imperfect, feathers scale-like. Tail 

 very short and stifl". Front toes webbed ; hind toe very 

 small. 



Genv.s. APTENODYTES.^Bill slender, base plumed, lower 

 mandible covered with bare skin. Tarsi very short and 

 plumed. Claws large. Habitat— Antarctic regions. 



Suh-family. TJrinse. — Bill moderate, tip scooped, nostrils 

 in plumed groove. Wings pointed. Tail short and rounded. 

 Hind toe wanting. 



Genus. Ukia, — Bill, keel slightly curved. Wings, fii-st 

 quill longest. Tarsi with smaJJ scales. Habitat — Arctic 

 regions. 



Family. PROCELL AMD JE.— Bill long, straight, com- 

 pressed, veiy deej>ly grooved, tip strong, arched, and sud- 

 denly hooked, nostrils tubular and exposed. 



Sub-family. Procellarinffi. — Nostrils in base of keel. 



Genus. Thalassidruma. — Bill shorter than head, and 

 slender ; nostrils elevated in front above keel, with a single 

 aperture in front. Wings, second quill longest. Tail forked. 

 Legs long and slender, thighs jiartially naked. Toes short, 

 hind toe triangular. Habitat — Many parts of globe. 



Genus. Phocellaria. — Bill not longer than head, tip 

 compressed and sharp, nostrils with a single crescent-shaped 

 opening. Wings, first quill longest. Tip of thigh nearly 

 feathered, hind toe triangular. Habitat — High latitiuJes of 

 both hemispheres. 



Subfamily. Dlomedeinse. — Nostrils short, tubular, widest 

 in front, ancl near base of lateral groove. 



Genus. Diomedea. — Bill longer than head, strong, lower 

 mandible weak. conipresse<l, truncated at tip. Wings very 

 long ard nnnow, siCL»n<l quill longest. Two exterior toes 

 edged on outside with narrow membrane, hind toe wanting. 

 Habitat — Both hemispheres. 



Family. LAKIB.^. — Bill straight, comprcssed. Wings 

 long and jiointod. Tail long. Tarsi with transverse scales 

 in front. Hind toe mostly short. 



Subfamily. — Larlnse.- Bill long, straight above at fii-st, 

 then curved to tip. 



