( 334 ) 



CHArTER XYL 



Palmipedes, Web-footed — Serrated or Tooth-billed.— Geese.— Flocks of. 

 — How managed. — Plucking. — Singular Attachment. — Sagacity.— 

 Coirage of. — Tree-geese. — Swans. — Muscular Strength. — Courage.— 

 — Black Swans. — Trade in Swan-quills. 



Table XXVI. (See page 21.) 



Order 6. Palmipedes (Web fooled). — Tribe 1. Serrirostres 

 (or Tooth-billed). Table XXVII. 



We now come to the last order, consisting of those birds 

 which are evidently calculated for swimming; having their 

 toes connected with a web, extending nearly to the nails. 

 There are, however, some few not classed here, although they 

 are undoubtedly web-footed — for instance, the Avosets and 

 Flamingoes ; but these, as has been already noticed, are not 

 swimmers, their webs being of use only in supporting them as 

 they tread lightly over marshy grounds. The first genus is 

 that of the Geese and Ducks, whose beaks all, more or less, 

 partake of the toothed or serrated character, represented in the 

 plate of the Shoveler-Duck's bill (page 30), for the obvious 

 purpose of feeding in the manner there mentioned. 



Notwithstanding certain points of resemblance connecting 

 Swans, Geese, and Ducks under one head, there are, never- 

 theless, some peculiarities in each fully justifying the various 

 subdivisions adopted by modern naturalists ; by whom they 

 have been accordingly separated into four sections — Geese, 

 Swans, and Ducks of two sorts — one of which has the hind- 

 toe furnished with a loose membrane; these latter chiefly 

 frequent sea-shores or salt-marshes. 



At the head of this list stands the Goose, and with reason, 

 considering how valuable a bird it is, and how many benefits 

 we derive from it in divers ways. Those who live in the fen 

 countries of Lincolnshire look to the produce of their flocks, 



