CONTENTS 



INTRODUCTION vii 



FOREWORD viii 



FAMILY TREE OF THE DUCKS,, GEESE AND SWANS x 



THE FAMILY, ANATIDAE - 1 



DUCK TOPOGRAPHY 9 



GLOSSARY 12 



SCIENTIFIC NOMENCLATURE 18 



MOULTS AND PLUMAGES 22 



IDENTIFICATION OF A SPECIMEN IN HAND 25 



SEX AND AGE DETERMINATION 31 



MATING AND NESTING HABITS 38 



FEEDING HABITS 39 



LONGEVITY RECORDS 40 



SPEED OF FLIGHT 41 



HYBRIDISM 43 



BOTULISM 45 



LEAD POISONING 46 



MIGRATION ROUTES AND FLYWAYS 47 



BANDING WATERFOWL -53 



CONSERVATION 55 



LOONS, GREBES, GALLINULES AND COOTS - 62 



MAP OF NORTH AMERICA 64 



DESCRIPTIONS, IDENTIFICATIONS AND LIFE STORIES OF THE DUCKS, 



GEESE AND SWANS 65 



WEIGHTS AND MEASUREMENTS OF WILDFOWL - 381 



COLOUR PLATES - .... 390 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 463 



BIBLIOGRAPHY - .... 455 



INDEX 474 



