

GOOSE. NATATORES. ANSER. 277 



Forehead, crown of the head, list down the back of the General 

 neck, chin, throat, and band, extending upwards to the tion. 

 eye, black. Between the bill and eye is a large spot of 

 white. Behind the eye, and surrounding a large patch 

 of orange-brown on each side of the neck, is a list of 

 white ; which is extended farther, and forms a line of 

 division between the orange-brown and black of the 

 lower part of the neck. Front of the lower part of 

 neck and breast fine orange-brown ; the latter margined 

 by a list of black, and another of white. Immediately 

 before the shoulders is a second bar of white. Mantle, 

 belly, wings, and tail, black. Abdomen, vent, thighs, 

 upper and under tail-coverts, white. Greater wing- 

 coverts black, margined with white. Bill reddish-brown, 

 with the nail black. Legs blackish-brown, with a red- 

 dish tinge. 



SUBFAMILY CYGNINA. 



GENUS CYGNUS, MEYER. SWAN. 



GENERIC CHARACTERS. 



BILL equally wide throughout its length, much higher 

 than broad at the base, where it is swollen or tuberculated ; 

 depressed towards the tip; nail of the upper mandible de- 

 flected, and covering that of the lower, which is flat. Both 

 mandibles laminato-dentate, with the lamellae placed trans- 

 versely, and nearly hidden from view when the bill is closed. 



Nostrils oblong, lateral, placed in the middle of the bill. 



Neck long. Wings long and ample. 



Legs placed behind the equilibrium of the body, short. 

 Feet four-toed, three before and one behind ; the front ones 

 entirely webbed, the hinder toe small and free. 



Plumage thick, close, and adpressed ; .that upon the neck 

 soft and downy. 



