CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



TITLE-PAGE i 



PREFACE 5 



CONTENTS 7 



GLOSSARY n 



TOPOGRAPHY OF A BIRD 12 



INTRODUCTION 13 



What a bird is . .- 13 



The wing 13 



The tail 15 



The leg and foot . . 1 6 



The bill 17 



How TO MEASURE A BIRD 20, 21 



INDEX TO KEY TO FAMILIES. WATER BIRDS .... 22 



KEY TO FAMILIES. WATER BIRDS 23 



GROUP i. Toes, four, with lobate webs, or webs on sides 



of toes 23 



GROUP 2. Toes, four; front toes, palmate (full webbed); 



hind toe not connected with front ones by web 24 

 GROUP 3. Toes, four, full webbed; hind toe connected 



with front ones by web 27 



GROUP 4. Toes, four, not full webbed; small webs be- 

 tween toes at base, or toes entirely without web 28 

 Section i. Hind toe, raised above level of front toes 28 

 Section 2 . Hind toe, on level with front toes . - . 30 

 GROUP 5. Toes, three, full webbed; no hind toe . . . 32 

 GROUP 6. Toes, three; a small web between toes, or 



entirely without web 33 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF WATER BIRDS OF ILLINOIS AND 



WISCONSIN . '. 35 



FAMILY COLYMBID^. GREBES 3-, 275 



FAMILY GAVIID^;. LOONS 37, 282 



FAMILY ALCID.E. AUKS, MURRES, ETC 39, 279 



FAMILY STERCORARIID^E. SKUAS AND J^GERS ... .41, 286 



INDEX TO KEY TO FAMILY LARID^E 42 



7 



