544 



ZOOLOGY. 



quently brought into the market. The wild goose (Branta 



Canadensis) breeds in the North- 

 ern United States and in British 

 America. While it usually breeds 

 on the shores of rivers, it has 

 been known in Colorado and 

 Montana to nest in trees. Allied 

 to it is the barnacle goose of 

 Europe (Branta leucopsis), which 

 very rarely occurs in this coun- 

 Fig. 466. -Carolina Kail. -From try. The swans are characterized 



C/OU6S Jv6y. _ 1 1 



by their long necks, the trachea 



or wind-pipe being remarkably long, especially in the trum- 

 peter swan, where it enters a cavity in the breast-bone, 

 makes a turn and enters the lungs, 

 after forming a large coil. 



To this group, or next to it, also 

 belong the flamingoes, the American 

 flamingo (Phcenicopterus ruler) occur- 

 ring on the Florida and G-ulf coast. 

 Its feathers are scarlet, its bill yellow, 

 large and thick, while the legs and 

 neck are of great length. It connects 

 the swimming with the wading birds. 

 The foregoing group forms a division 

 called the Natatores or swimming 

 birds. We now come to the Gralla- 

 tores or wading birds, which have long, 

 naked legs, and therefore long necks, 

 with usually remarkably long bills. 

 They are divided into cranes, rails, etc. 

 (Alectorides), the herons and their 

 allies (Herodiones), and the shore-birds, 

 snipes and plovers, or Limicolce. 



The cranes, together with rails (Por- 

 sana Carolina, Fig. 466) sometimes 

 have lobate feet, the toes are often JSXfS^iSmf 

 long, and in some forms, such as the 

 coots and gallinules, there is an approach to the ducks. 



