ZOOLOGY. 405 



323. Swimmers. California has sixty-six species of the 

 order of swimmers (Natatores). Of these there are two 

 swans, six geese, twenty-two ducks, four albatrosses, two pe- 

 trels, seven gulls, four terns, three pelicans, three cormorants, 

 four guillemots, one loon, and various miscellaneous species. 

 One swan, all the albatrosses, five gulls, the two petrels, the 

 loon, and one guillemot, are found only on this Coast. 



The trumpeter-swan (Cygnus buccinator) is a very large 

 bird, measuring five feet from the point of the bill to the end 

 of the tail, and six feet across from tip to tip of the out- 

 stretched wings. The plumage is snowy white in color ; its 

 legs and bill are black. The name of " trumpeter " is given to 

 it because of its clarion-like scream, which is heard as it flies. It 

 frequents the lakes in the northern and northeastern parts of 

 the State, and is sometimes seen in the rivers. It is a shy bird, 

 and is rarely killed. 



The American swan, found also on the Atlantic slope of the 

 continent, is similar in appearance and size to the trumpeter, 

 but lacks its loud voice, and is otherwise distinguishable from 

 it chiefly by having an orange-colored spot on its bill, in front 

 of the eye, whereas the bill of the Cygnus buccinator is en- 

 tirely black. 



Wild geese are very abundant in California during the 

 spring and fall, when they pass through on their migrations. 

 Among them are the Canada goose, (Bemida canadensis) the 

 snow-goose, (Anser hyperboreus) the white-footed goose, or 

 " speckled belly," (Anser erythropus) Hutchings' goose (Ber- 

 nida hutchinsii) and the black brandt, (Bernida nigricans). 

 Hutchings' goose is more abundant than any of the others. 

 Some of them, while in the State, get all their food in the 

 tules ; others in the spring resort to the fields of young grain, 

 where they pasture. Dr. Newberry says : " I was much in- 

 terested in noticing the perfect harmony of intercourse which 

 seemed to exist among the smaller species. They intermingled 

 freely while feeding, and when alarmed arose without separa- 



