349 



CHAPTER XVI. 



Palmipedes; Web -footed. Serrated or Tooth- billed. Geese ; 

 Flocks of How managed Plucking Singular attachment 

 Sagacity Courage of. Tree-geese. Swans ; Muscular 

 strength Courage. Black Swans. Trade in Swan-quills. 



Table XXVI. (See p. 21.) 



Order 6. PALMIPEDES ( Web- footed). Tribe 1. SERRIROSTRES 

 (or Tooth-billed). TABLE XXVII. 



TljTE now come to the last order, consisting of those birds 

 * * which are evidently calculated for swimming ; having 

 their toes connected with a web, extending nearly to the nails. 

 There are, however, some few not classed here, although 

 they are undoubtedly web-footed, for instance, the Avosets 

 and Flamingoes ; but these, as has been already noticed, are 

 not swimmers, their webs being of use only in supporting 

 them as they tread lightly over marshy grounds. The first 

 genus is that of the Anas, comprising Geese and Ducks, 

 whose beaks all, more or less, partake of the toothed or 

 serrated character, represented in the plate of the Shoveller- 

 Duck's bill (page 30), for the obvious purpose of feeding in 

 the manner there mentioned. 



Notwithstanding certain points of resemblance, connecting 

 Swans, Geese, and Ducks under one head, there are, never- 

 theless, some peculiarities in each, fully justifying the various 

 subdivisions adopted by modern naturalists ; by whom they 

 have been, accordingly, separated into four sections, Geese, 

 Swans, and Ducks of two sorts, one of which has the hind- 

 toe furnished with a loose membrane ; these latter chiefly 

 frequent sea-shores or salt-marshes. 



At the head of this list stands the Goose, and with 

 reason, considering how valuable a bird it is, and how many 

 benefits we derive from it in divers ways. Those who live 

 *in the fen countries of Lincolnshire look to the produce of 



