IDENTIFICATION OF A SPECIMEN IN HAND 25 



MOULTS OF THE SWANS AND THE GEESE 



The Swans and the Geese, unlike the ducks, which have two moults 

 each year, have but one annual postnuptial moult, during which the 

 entire plumage is renewed. As in the case of the ducks, the flight-feathers 

 (except the tertials) are shed simultaneously and the birds are rendered 

 flightless until these are renewed. The tail-feathers are shed at the same 

 time as the flight-feathers. 



The Swans and Geese pass through the same stages of immature 

 dress as do the ducks. Young Geese assume their adult dress after the 

 second summer, and young Swans take two or more years to acquire the 

 pure white plumage of maturity. 



IDENTIFICATION OF A SPECIMEN IN HAND 



Most gunners fail to recognize many of the ducks which fall to their 

 guns. Some do not care what kinds of ducks they may be, being satis- 

 fied to group all ducks that they shoot, and which are not instantly 

 identifiable, under the name "grey duck" or "widgeon" (no fewer than 

 12 different ducks are commonly called by these names). Other gunners 

 would like to be able to identify the specimens in their bag, and such as 

 these will find this manual of use in their purpose. 



Failure to be able to identify a specimen means that many rare 

 birds, including some of the visiting species as well as strange and inter- 

 esting hybrids, are taken and their identity is never suspected. 



Due to the constantly changing plumage of the ducks, identification 

 is not always obvious, particularly during the gunning season when the 

 adult males are emerging from their summer eclipse moult, and the 

 young birds of the year are moulting into their first winter plumage. 

 It is, however, usually possible to determine with certainty the identity 

 of any duck at any season of the year, and the gunner's interest in his 

 sport is tremendously increased by being able to do so. 



The writer cannot too strongly urge upon his fellow gunners to 

 make a practice of identifying every duck that falls to their guns. Learn 

 to call the birds by their correct names. Learn to distinguish between 

 the sexes in any plumage. Learn to tell a young bird of the year from 

 an adult. If identification were obvious and simple it would have no 

 appeal, but because it is far from easy, it becomes a thrillingly interest- 

 ing accomplishment. 



If the rules given below, for identifying a specimen in hand, are 

 followed carefully and intelligently, it will be possible for anyone, even 

 the veriest amateur, to decide with reasonable certainty upon the iden- 

 tity of the specimen before him. With a little practice the beginner will 

 become surprisingly proficient, and new fields of interest will be opened 

 to the intelligent gunner by his increased knowledge of the various 

 species. 



